The hidden hunger enemy

Many urban environments are experiencing malnutrition in the form of undernutrition or micronutrient deficiency, writes Amarpreet Singh Anand

India is home to millions of people who suffer from micronutrient inadequacy, sometimes known as hidden hunger. One of the main causes of nutritional deficiencies is poor diet and lifestyle choices. A shortage of vital vitamins and minerals is responsible for a number of negative symptoms, including sluggish growth, stunting, wasting, low immunity, etc. These vitamins and minerals are necessary for proper growth, development, and general health. Micronutrient deficiencies include anaemia, a lack of vitamins A and D, and an iodine shortage, to name a few. Given the variation in the intensity of the problem, it is clear that people of both urban and rural areas are impacted by the issue of inadequate nutrition.

What’s this urban dietary problem?

The veiled hunger that urban inhabitants face is referred to as “hidden hunger” or “micronutrient insufficiency.” Globally, 2 billion people experience hidden hunger, which is frequently disregarded or concealed by hunger brought on by an energy shortfall. This deficiency in vital vitamins and minerals can have detrimental socioeconomic impacts on a person’s well-being and development in addition to long-lasting, irreversible health effects.

Hidden hunger arises when a person’s consumption and absorption of vitamins and minerals (such as zinc, iodine, and iron) are insufficient to ensure optimum health and development because the majority of our daily vitamin and nutrient requirements come from our food and our diet. This is occasionally explained by the abrupt shift in lifestyle and could be considered as a drawback of living in a big city.

Given the widespread practice of consuming fast food and junk food, it is clear why the urban population has a nutrition problem. The purpose of fast food and junk food is to sate the appetite and calm the growling stomach. They try to fill the body’s growling stomach rather than supply it with nourishment. Most problems can be solved in cities with a single click, but this has now become a problem in and of itself, especially when it comes to our food. Throughout the life cycle, micronutrient shortages have the following effects:
♦ Both low birth weight and a higher mortality rate can have a negative impact on a baby’s capacity for mental development.
♦ Recurrent illnesses, stunting, which is the prevention of normal growth or development, lower mental capacity, and other problems might affect a child’s capacity to learn.
♦ Hidden hunger can cause stunting, decrease mental function, cause tiredness, and increase susceptibility to illnesses during the adolescent years.
♦ Adults with unsatisfied hunger run the risk of having lower productivity, a lower socioeconomic position, malnutrition, and the emergence of chronic illnesses.
♦ An aged person with a concealed hunger may be at an increased risk for morbidity, including mental disease. Pregnant women who experience hidden hunger face a higher risk of death and perinatal complications.

Strategies & solutions

Food-based solutions are one of the most needed and viable options to prevent micronutrient deficiencies and even malnutrition in India. Food-based strategies such as food production, dietary diversification, and food fortification, are the most sustainable approaches to increasing the micronutrient status of populations. Other than that, technology-driven solutions can be used to help combat hidden hunger/micronutrient deficiency by promoting a habit of healthy eating among people. It is important to note that a multi-faceted approach that addresses both the supply and demand sides of the problem is a must to effectively address micronutrient deficiencies in India.

(The author is the founder of a Bengaluru-based nutrition and food-tech start-up.)