The Global Health Report (GNR), 2020 was released in May 2020. The GNR was conceived following the first ‘Nutrition for Growth Initiative Summit’ (N4G) in 2013 as a mechanism for tracking the commitments made by 100 stakeholders spanning governments, aid donors, civil society, the UN and businesses. GNR is a multi-stakeholder initiative that assess progress in meeting the 2025 Global Nutrition Targets of World Health Assembly (WHA).
In 2012, WHA identified 6 nutrition targets:
·Stunting
·Anaemia
·Low birth weight
·Childhood overweight
·Breastfeeding
·Wasting
According to GNR 2020:
·The 2020 Report looks beyond global and national patterns, revealing significant inequalities in nutrition outcomes within countries and populations
·Based on the best-available data, in-depth analysis and expert opinion rooted in evidence, the report identifies critical actions to achieve nutrition equity
·It reiterates that everyone deserves access to healthy, affordable food and quality nutrition care
The GNR 2020 stated that India is among 88 countries that are likely to miss global nutrition targets by 2025. It also identified the country as one with the highest rates of domestic inequalities in malnutrition. India will miss targets for all 4 nutritional indicators for which there is data available, i.e.
·Stunting among under-5 children - 37.9% of children under 5 years are stunted and 20.8% are wasted. India is identified as among the 3 worst countries, along with Nigeria and Indonesia, for steep disparities in stunting.
·Anaemia among women of reproductive age
·Childhood overweight - rate of overweight and obesity continues to rise, affecting almost a fifth of the adults, at 21.6% of women and 17.8% of men.
·Exclusive breastfeeding
Inequities in food and health systems increase inequalities in nutrition outcomes that in turn can lead to more inequity, perpetuating a vicious cycle.
(Sources: globalnutritionreport.org / thehindu.com)