Public Nutrition and Health — NCERT Solutions

India faces several major nutritional problems:

• Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM)
• Micronutrient deficiencies or hidden hunger, especially:
• Iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA)
• Vitamin A deficiency (VAD)
• Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD)
• Also concern about zinc, vitamin C, vitamin D, folic acid, vitamin B12 and others
• Overnutrition, which is increasing because of sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets, leading to overweight and obesity

The chapter says India faces the double burden of malnutrition, meaning the coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition.

From the chapter:

Consequences of iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA):

• Haemoglobin production is reduced, so there are low levels of haemoglobin in blood.
• Since haemoglobin carries oxygen, even slight physical work causes shortness of breath / breathlessness on slight exertion.
• The person may feel fatigued and lethargic.
• There is general pallor, including paleness of the conjunctiva of the eyes, tongue, nail beds and soft palate.
• In children, cognitive functions such as attention span, memory and concentration are adversely affected.

Consequences of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD):

• Iodine deficiency leads to insufficient thyroid hormone.
• In adults, the most common manifestation is goitre.
• In children, it may manifest as cretinism.
• During pregnancy, iodine deficiency can cause mental retardation and congenital abnormalities of the fetus.
• The chapter states that this effect is irreversible.

Scope of public health nutrition:
Public health nutrition deals with the promotion of good health through prevention of nutrition-related problems in the population. Its scope includes identifying nutritional problems, understanding their causes, planning and implementing strategies, and evaluating their impact. It also includes work on government policies and programmes to improve nutritional status. Because nutritional problems are linked with many factors—economic, agricultural, health care, political and socio-cultural—public health nutrition requires a multidisciplinary approach.

A public/community nutritionist can work in many areas, such as:

• Outreach programmes in hospitals for prevention, promotion and education
• ICDS at different levels
• Government level as consultant, advisor, or in policy-making committees
• Developmental programmes of government, voluntary organisations, NGOs and international organisations
• Large-scale feeding programmes for children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating mothers, elderly and challenged individuals
• School health programmes as nutritionists or school health counsellors
• Corporate CSR programmes related to food and nutrition security
• Teaching
• Research
• Entrepreneurship and development of communication/educational materials

Career choices:

• Community nutritionist in PSM departments of hospitals
• Nutrition programmes of the government, e.g. ICDS, Food and Nutrition Board
• Nutritionist in voluntary organisations (regional, national and international)
• Consultant
• Nutritionist or counselor for schools, industries, etc.
• Teaching and academics
• Research