Editorial of the Day (30th Jan): Early Nutrition Impacts Cognitive Development

Context: Early nutrition has been shown to impact the development of cognitive abilities and they are not solely reliant on educational inputs.

Key Takeaways From Different Studies for Early Nutrition

• Empirical studies in India: Women’s height and education are strong predictors of child stunting, pointing to the importance of improving these factors for nutritional outcomes.
  • Poshan Abhiyaan and Integrated Child Development Services in India aim to combat malnutrition and stunting through improved Anganwadi services and support for mothers and children.
• Research by Spears (2013): Better sanitation reduces diarrhoea and stunting, highlighting India’s Jal Jeevan Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission as critical investments in health infrastructure to address these issues.

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Suggestive Measures

• Promote Early Breastfeeding: Encourage immediate and continued breastfeeding for two years, alongside appropriate complementary feeding from six months.
• Expand Government Initiatives: Scale up programs like the Mother’s Absolute Affection Programme to offer lactation support and foster breastfeeding-friendly environments.
• Leverage Mobile Technology: Use mobile technology to educate mothers on the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding during the initial six months.
• Improve Maternal Nutrition: Focus on better nutrition for mothers to ensure the birth of healthier babies.
• Diet Diversification for Children: Implement community-based programs to educate parents about enriching their child’s diet with various locally available, nutrient-dense foods after six months.
• Increase Anganwadi Staffing: Add an extra worker to each Anganwadi centre to provide better child care, education, and reduce stunting and severe malnutrition.

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