Coverage of nutrition and health interventions in India: Insights from the National Family Health Surveys

Nutrition-specific interventions are aimed at improving the food, health, and care environment for women and children during the first 1000 days. These interventions span pregnancy, postnatal, and early childhood periods and include food and micronutrient supplementation, nutrition education and/or counselling, growth monitoring and promotion, as well as routine immunization, deworming, and care during illness. At 90% coverage, these interventions can contribute to 20% reduction in stunting and 61% reduction in severe wasting. India’s policy framework for health and nutrition is robust and includes most evidence-based nutrition and health interventions. Two large-scale national program platforms – the Integrated Child Development Services and the National Health Mission – together deliver these interventions across the country. India’s efforts at scaling up nutrition interventions are now also bolstered by the National Nutrition Mission. This Data Note describes the coverage of key nutrition and health interventions for which data are available in the National Family Health Surveys for 2015-2016 and 2019-2021. To examine coverage of interventions, indicators were created based on global definitions and making adaptations to Indian policy context where necessary. Data on women of reproductive age (15-49 years) with a child below five years of age from the most recent birth was used to compute these indicators. Indicator definitions are provided in Annex 1 of this Note

How is India doing on malnutrition and non-communicable diseases? Insights from the National Family Health Surveys (2005-06 to 2019-21)

A set of global nutrition targets for maternal and child nutrition together with diet related non communicable diseases ( to be achieved by 2025 was endorsed by the World Health Assembly in 2013 These targets provide goals against which progress towards ending malnutrition in all its forms can be measured and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals This data note describes trends in multiple forms of malnutrition and NCD outcomes at the national, state, and district levels for India using survey data from NFHS 3 2005 06 NFHS 4 2015 2016 and NFHS 5 2019 2021 Insights on other malnutrition targets such as anemia and breastfeeding will be forthcomin

Trends and patterns in consumption of foods among Indian adults: Insights from National Family Health Surveys, 2005-06 to 2019- 21

See also: https://poshan.ifpri.info/category/publications/data-notes/BACKGROUND| Healthy diets are necessary for optimal growth and to carry out daily mental and physical tasks. Unhealthy diets drive all forms of malnutrition and dietary risks are the number one risk factor globally for deaths and disability (Global Burden of Disease collaborators, 2019). Given the importance of diet as a key driver of health and wellbeing, this Data Note examines available data from three rounds of India’s National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) on food consumption patterns of adult men and women. MEASUREMENT| NFHS asks women (15-49 years) and men (15-54 years) how frequently (daily, weekly, occasionally or never) they consume nine food groups including two unhealthy food groups (Figure 1). The 2020 Nutrient Requirements for Indians outlines the quantity per day of vegetarian foods to be consumed as part of a balanced diet (ICMR-NIN, 2020). The guidelines indicate that pulses can be replaced with animal-source foods for non-vegetarians. Thus, for this Data Note we constructed an additional indicator –daily consumption of pulses or egg or fish or chicken or meat –to estimate any protein consumption (Figure 1). Estimates are first presented at the national level to provide an overall view of how diets have changed from 2005-06 to 2019-21. On subsequent pages, we show trends between 2015-16 and 2019-21 by state and district. USE| This data note provides a broad view of diet patterns among adults and should be used for further inquiry by stakeholders including researchers, policymakers, and program staff at multiple levels. We recognize that NFHS is not a detailed dietary survey and does not ask about individual food items or the quantity of food consumed. Thus, this data note should be used as a starting point for discussion and to identify major areas of improvement in consumption and measurement

Tracking anemia and its determinants from 2015-16 to 2019-21 in India

This Data Note provides an update on the prevalence of anemia and its determinants in India at state and districts levels, as well as coverage of a nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive interventions. Data were from the National Family Health Surveys in 2005 06, 2015 2016 and 2019 21. We first report national trends for 8 population groups (Figure 1 below). For each population group, we show anemia prevalence by severity category and at state and district levels using the two latest rounds of data. Lastly, we show recent trends in determinants of anemia and, nutrition and health interventions

Ethnobotanical approach on wild plants for manufacturing musical instruments by Gond and Korku tribes of Vidarbha

138-140Music and dancing are important part of Gond and Korku tribals inhabiting in Vidarbha region. These aboriginals make a variety of musical instruments from the natural products available around them. Musical instruments include drums, flute, dholki and small cymbals, etc. The study of musical culture among the tribals is an interesting line of investigation as this can open a new path of employment among them. The paper deals with the ethnobotanical survey on wild plants used by Gondu and Korku tribes for manufacturing musical instruments

Emergency Contraception in Women of Slums in Northern India

Objective: To ascertain the utilization of the emergency contraception and to evaluate the impact of intervention on acceptability and utilization of emergency contraceptive pills. Materials and Methods: This community based cross sectional study was carried out by the department of community medicine in the slums of Chandigarh. The study sample was chosen by two stage systematic sampling. Participants were assessed regarding emergency contraception utilization and its various aspects and was also imparted correct knowledge regarding this mode of contraception. The women were reassessed again after six months to see the impact of the knowledge imparted to them on utilization of emergency contraception. Results: The study comprised of 1448, females and maximum were in the age group 26-35 years i.e. 717 (49.5%) followed by those in age group 19-25 yr i.e. 485 (33.5%). Considering their education, 674 (46.5%) women were illiterate. Only, 1.4% respondents had ever used emergency contraception. Sources of information so enumerated of emergency contraception were, health workers (0.8%), friends (0.6%), doctors/ health physicians (0.4%) media (0.3%) and books (0.1%). None of the respondent knew about the correct time span during which they should be used. The increase in utilization of emergency contraception from 1.4% to 4.2% was noticed in reassessment after 6months. Conclusion: Correct knowledge and awareness regarding emergency contraception can increase the utilization of it

Association of Chlamydia trachomatis infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) & cervical intraepithelial neoplasia - A pilot study

Background & objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the necessary cause of cervical cancer and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is considered a potential cofactor in the development of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). The objective of this pilot study was to determine the association of CT infection with HPV, other risk factors for cervical cancer, and CIN in symptomatic women. Methods: A total of 600 consecutively selected women aged 30-74 yr with persistent vaginal discharge, intermenstrual/postcoital bleeding or unhealthy cervix underwent conventional Pap smear, Hybrid Capture 2® (HC2) testing for HPV and CT DNA and colposcopy, with directed biopsy of all lesions. Results: HPV DNA was positive in 108 (18.0%) women, CT DNA in 29 (4.8%) women. HPV/CT co-infection was observed in only four (0.7%) women. Of the 127 (21.2%) women with Pap >ASCUS, 60 (47.2%) were HPV positive and four (3.1%) were CT positive. Of the 41 women with CIN1 lesions, 11 (26.8%) were HPV positive, while two were CT positive. Of the 46 women with CIN2+ on histopathology, 41 (89.1%) were HPV positive, two (4.3%) were CT positive and one was positive for both. The risk of CIN2+ disease was significantly increased (P35 yr), higher parity, use of oral contraceptives or smoking did not show any significant association with HPV or abnormal histopathology. Parity >5 was the only risk factor positivity associated with CT infection (P<0.05). Interpretation & conclusions: Our findings showed that CT infection was not significantly associated with CIN, and most of its risk factors, including HPV infection, in symptomatic women. Longitudinal studies with carefully selected study sample would be able to answer these questions

Awareness of emergency contraception among female college students in Chandigarh, India

Summary : Adolescents and young women are at the greatest risk of unintended pregnancy because they are unlikely to see a family planning provider before or immediately after the sexual activity. Therefore, preventing unintended pregnancy among them is the important concern. Sexually active young women are clients with special needs for contraception. They are eligible to use a variety of the available contraceptives. Introduction of emergency contraception (EC) in the recent past can help them avoid such unintended pregnancies. Objective : To investigate the awareness of emergency contraception in female college students. Study Design : Cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study. Materials and Methods : This study was conducted among college-going undergraduate and graduate female students of Punjab University, Chandigarh. Systematic random sampling was used to select the respondents. Results :Of the 1,017 college students included in the study, 507 (49.9%) knew about different contraceptive methods. Maximum awareness was regarding oral contraceptive pills (239, 47.1%). Only 74 (7.3%) had knowledge about emergency contraceptive pills (ECP). Of them, 10 (14.7%) students knew the correct time for use of ECP, and the side effects of ECP were known to 48 (88.9%) respondents. Conclusions : Awareness about ECP was very low among female college students of Chandigarh, especially regarding correct timing of its use and its side effects. Appropriate awareness programs on EC are needed for them