The National Nutrition Week (NNW) is annually observed across India from September 1 to September 7 to create awareness about good nutrition and health, and its importance in human lives.
- It aims to raise public awareness about nutrition and healthy eating habits.
- The week is honoured to make people understand the importance of nutritional and adaptive eating habits to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- The theme for NNW 2022 – “World of Flavours”
Background:
i.The National Nutrition Week (NNW) was initiated in 1982 as a Mass Awareness Campaign by the Food and Nutrition Board under the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD).
ii.The first NNW was observed from 1st to 7th September 1982.
- Nutrition Week was first observed and marked by members of the American Dietetic Association (ADA)(now known as Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) in March 1975.
Significance:
i.Every year the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) organises 7 days long events to spread awareness about proper nutrition.
ii.In 2018 ‘POSHAN Abhiyan’ or National Nutrition Mission was launched to educate people about health and nutrition issues like stunting, wasting, anaemia and low birth weight in children, all due to under-nutrition.
- It also focuses on adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
About Malnutrition:
i.It refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and nutrients.
- Undernutrition- It includes wasting (low weight-for-height), stunting (low height-for-age) and underweight (low weight-for-age).
ii.The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 2: Zero hunger) aims to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030.
Global Hunger Health Index Report 2021:
According to Global Hunger Health Index Report 2021, India ranked 101st among 116 countries and most of the deaths in children were caused due to malnutrition.
