<p>Nearly 22 per cent of women in India give birth to a child before they turn 18 and almost one in every three newborns is underweight. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Besides, around 43 per cent of children (under five years) are underweight with 16 per cent of them severely under-nourished and 48 per cent have stunted growth. A child born in a slum is likely to die before his/her first birthday or suffer from underweight or anaemia. <br /><br />Unicef report<br /><br />These startling facts highlighted in a Unicef report were revealed at a scientific symposium on ‘First 1000 days of life, from conception till second year after birth – the critical window of opportunity for addressing under nutrition’ organised by Nestle Nutrition Institute here on Friday. The symposium was organised to address the issue of maternal and child nutrition. <br /><br />Speaking on the occasion, Dr Anura V Kurpad, head, Division of Nutrition, St John Research Institute, emphasised that happiness quotient among expectant mothers is vital for healthy development of child. “Nutrition intake by expectant mothers is very crucial. But it is also important for mother to live in a happier environment at home to bring up her child healthier,” she added. <br /><br />Childhood underweight, micronutrient deficiencies like iron, vitamin A and zinc, and poor breastfeeding causes nearly seven per cent of deaths equivalent to 3.9 million lives lost and 10 per cent of the global disease burden, he added.</p>
<p>Nearly 22 per cent of women in India give birth to a child before they turn 18 and almost one in every three newborns is underweight. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Besides, around 43 per cent of children (under five years) are underweight with 16 per cent of them severely under-nourished and 48 per cent have stunted growth. A child born in a slum is likely to die before his/her first birthday or suffer from underweight or anaemia. <br /><br />Unicef report<br /><br />These startling facts highlighted in a Unicef report were revealed at a scientific symposium on ‘First 1000 days of life, from conception till second year after birth – the critical window of opportunity for addressing under nutrition’ organised by Nestle Nutrition Institute here on Friday. The symposium was organised to address the issue of maternal and child nutrition. <br /><br />Speaking on the occasion, Dr Anura V Kurpad, head, Division of Nutrition, St John Research Institute, emphasised that happiness quotient among expectant mothers is vital for healthy development of child. “Nutrition intake by expectant mothers is very crucial. But it is also important for mother to live in a happier environment at home to bring up her child healthier,” she added. <br /><br />Childhood underweight, micronutrient deficiencies like iron, vitamin A and zinc, and poor breastfeeding causes nearly seven per cent of deaths equivalent to 3.9 million lives lost and 10 per cent of the global disease burden, he added.</p>
