Lok Sabha Question No. 1851 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-29
Subject: Diseases among Children
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Bhagwanth Khuba, Manne Srinivas Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1851 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 TH NOVEMBER, 2019

## DISEASES AMONG CHILD REN

## 1851. SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA: SHRI MANNE SRINIVAS REDDY:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  Government  in  collaboration  with  UNICEF  has  recently  conducted  the  first - ever comprehensive National Nutrition Survey, if so, the details thereof ;

(b) whether as per the survey around 10 per cent of children in the age group of 5 to 9 adolescents in the age group 10 to 19 years are pre - diabetic, 5 per cent of them were overweight and 5 per cent suffered from blood pressure;

(c) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard;

(d) whether the Government is aware that deficiency in vitamins and other essential nut caused by poor, unhealthy diets, are the main risk factors for several diseases among ch India; and

(e)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  being taken  to  address  the  above  issues  by  the Government?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a):The  Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare  (MoHFW) ,  Government  of  India  in collaboration with UNICEF has conducted first ever Comprehensive National Nutrition Surv (CNNS), from 2016 - 18 in 30 States. The survey covered 1.12 lakh children and adoloscents the age of 0 - 19 years and biological sample of 5 1 thousand children and adolescents were also collected.  The objective of the survey was to assess the levels of under - nutrition, micronutrient level and Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and the associated risk factors in the chil and adolescents.

(b ) & ( c): As per survey report the prevalence of diabetes was low (~1%) among both childr (1.2 %) and adolescents (0.7%). However, 10.3% of school - age children (5 - 9 years) and 10.4% of adolescents (10 - 19  years)  were found as pre -diabetic based on fastin g plasma glucose and HbA1c levels in the blood. 3.7% of children (5 - 9 years) and 4.8 % adolescents (10 -19 years) were overweight or obese and 4.9% adolescents were identified with hypertension.

In order to prevent and control major Non Communicable Di seas s (NCDs) the National Programme for Prevention of Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Str is being implemented in all the States/UTs.

Under NPCDCS, NCD cell are being established at National, State and District levels progr amme  management,  and  NCD  clinics  are  being  set  up  at  District  and  block  levels, provide  services  for  early  diagnosis,  treatment  and  follow - up  for  c mmon  NCDs.  Health promotion through behavior change with involvement of community, civil society, communi ty based organization, schools and media etc is an important activity.

The role of physical activities in health promotion and prevention of NCDs is also adopted  as  key  strategy.  Fit  India  Movement  has  been  initiated  by  the  Hon'ble  PM  where various p hysical activities and events to increase awareness on fitness will be carried o country.

(d ) & (e):  Yes Sir, the Government is aware that nutritionally poor, unhealthy diets con to the risk factors for several diseases among children an d various interventions are as below:

- The Government of India has launched POSHAN (Prime Minister Overarching Scheme for Holistic  Nourishment)  Abhiyaan,  to  address  malnutrition  in  India  through  convergen behaviour  change,  IEC  advocacy,  training  and  ca pacity  building,  use  of  technology  i.e. Common  Application  Software  (CAS),  innovations  and  demand  generation. POSHAN Abhiyaan focuses on educating families on the need for nutrition and motivating the adopting  these  into  their  behaviour.  The  promotion of  locally  available  nutritious  food through  various  community  based  events  (CBEs),  exhibitions,  rallies,  workshops  a meetings is one of the strategy under the POSHAN Abhiyaan.
- Ministry of Health and family Welfare has also initiated various advocacy and awareness campaigns including the 'Eat Right India' Campaign, which is built on the two broad pillars of 'Eat Healthy' and 'Eat Safe'. This aims to engage, excite and enable citizens to their health and wellbeing.
- Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Day (VHSND) platform is being used for creating community  awareness  on  importance  of  balanced  and  healthy  diet, and  bringing  desired changes in the dietary practices through group counselling sessions.
- The Government is also promoting use of fo rtified wheat flour, fortified rice, fortified and double fortified salt in public funded supplementary nutrition programmes.
- Government of India is also implementing various health and nutrition interventions National Health Mission (NHM) these are:
- Early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding for first six months and appropriate and  Young  Child  Feeding  (IYCF)  practices  are  promoted  under  Mothers'  Absolute Affection (MAA) in convergence with Ministry of Women and Child Development.
- Vitamin A supplementation (VAS) for children till the age of 5 years.
- 'Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB)' for supplementation and treatment of anaemia in children, adolescents,  pregnant  and  lactating  women,  and  women  of  reproductive  age  group  i programme  mode  thro ugh  life  cycle  approach.  This  involves,  bi - weekly  IFA  syrup supplementation  to  children  6 -59  months,  weekly  IFA  tablet  supplementation  to children 5 -10 years and adolescents 10 -19 years, and IFA tablets to pregnant and lactating women.
- Under 'Rastriya Bal Swasthya Karyakaram' (RBSK) children of 0 to 18 years of age are screened for selected health conditions classified into 4Ds -Diseases, Deficiencies, Defects and Developmental delay including screening for Severe Acute Mal - nutrition and provides fre e referral and treatment facilities for identified children.