Mysuru: The inability of weaker and marginalised sections of society to afford and consume enriched, nutritious food poses a serious threat to the country’s economic well-being, said Dr. Sesikeran Boindala, former Director of the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, in Mysuru on Friday.

He was speaking after inaugurating a national workshop on ‘Initiatives and Progress to Address Hidden Hunger,’ organised by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI).

“Due to the lack of enriched food in their diet, three out of every 1,000 children and nearly 2.5 lakh newborns are suffering from health issues, especially deficiencies in iron and folic acid. This directly impacts the country’s economy, as a growing number of youth — who form the backbone of economic productivity — are grappling with health challenges,” he said.

Highlighting regional disparities in food consumption, Dr. Sesikeran said, no one can truly claim to be eating a balanced diet, as dietary preferences vary across the country. “While some regions prefer fortified rice, others don’t. Moreover, the high cost of enriched food makes it inaccessible to large sections of the population,” he noted.

He urged the food industry to focus on enriching all types of food products to provide adequate nutrition. “Though not all companies may be capable of producing fortified food, it is important to learn and adopt the necessary technology to make it possible,” he added.

Efforts to combat anaemia

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Ajay Kumar Khera, former Deputy Director of Child Health, Government of India, said that there is a national target to reduce anaemia by 50 percent by 2030.

“For the last 30 years, iron and folic acid-rich food has been distributed to mothers and children through various programmes. However, despite sustained efforts, the problem persists,”                    he acknowledged.

CFTRI Director Dr. Sridevi Annapurna Singh, IIT Delhi Project Coordinator Dr. Jatindra K. Sahu, CSIR-CFTRI FS&AQCL Chief Scientist Dr. Giridhar Parvatam and PGIMER New Delhi Haematology Department Head Prof. Reena Das were among those present at the event.