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| Protein Malnutrition in India & the importance of Soya Foods: |
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A number of diet and nutritional surveys carried out during the past 30 years in different parts of the country have shown widespread occurrence of deficiency diseases.
The diets consumed by a large majority of population in India consist predominantly of calorie-yielding cereals and contain small amounts of protective and protein rich foods. The incidence of protein malnutrition and the deficiencies of vitamin A & B complex are particularly high among weaned infants and young children. Anaemias due to deficiencies of iron, folic acid and vitamin B-12 are fairly common among expectant and nursing mothers.
The present rate of infant mortality (death before 1 year) in India is about 79 per 1000 live births – major causes being malnutrition and infection. Malnutrition in early stages of life has lasting effects on the future growth and performance of the child. This silent crisis has deprived millions of human beings from exploitation of their physiological, mental and intellectual potential. In addition to diseases directly attributed to malnutrition, it is known that malnutrition aggregates the clinical course of many infectious diseases. A high percentage of children in India are destined to become liabilities to this country due to improper physical and mental development.
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| The protein malnutrition aspects have been discussed under the following heads: |
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| a. Fearing
facts about malnutrition : |
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| 1. |
It is estimated that starvation and diseases resulting in malnutrition kill every year some 40 million people in every corner of the world. Worst of all, more than half of the victims are children under 5 years of age. In addition, FAO sources reveal that atleast 400-500 million children living in the world’s 60 poorest countries suffer from chronic malnutrition, which has permanently retarded their physical and mental ability. |
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| 2. |
The incidence of malnutrition in India has been reported to be about 25% in urban areas and 20% in rural areas. In the poor income group, almost 80% of the children are suffering from moderate to severe degrees of malnutrition. About three-fourth of the pre-school children have body weights below 75% of normal weights.
As per the studies conducted by Mr. Saroj Gupta in association with USAID (India occasional Paper No.-4, July, 1987), the following percentage of our people are below ICMR recommended intake of proteins – |
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States |
Percentage
of people below ICMR recommended intake of
proteins |
| Urban |
Rural |
| Andhra
Pradesh |
50 |
40 |
| Bihar |
20 |
20 |
| Gujarat |
60 |
40 |
| Haryana |
20 |
10 |
| Himachal
Pradesh |
20 |
0 |
| Karnataka |
50 |
40 |
| Kerala |
70 |
60 |
| Madhya
Pradesh |
20 |
20 |
| Maharastra |
50 |
50 |
| Orissa |
20 |
20 |
| Punjab |
20 |
10 |
| Rajastan |
30 |
10 |
| Tamil
Nadu |
40 |
30 |
| Uttar
Pradesh |
30 |
20 |
| West
Bengal |
30 |
30 |
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