WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Usha B. S.*

ABSTRACT

Children's undernutrition happens when they don't get enough calories, protein, or micronutrients to stay healthy. Almost a quarter of all children under the age of five are stunted today. In recent decades, India's economic prosperity has coexisted with worrisome levels of chronic hunger and stunting. In the Global Hunger Index 2020, the country was ranked 94th out of 107 countries, well behind many other developing countries. New data suggests that child malnutrition is rising in India, with fewer children dying but more malnourished and anaemic youngsters in several regions. According to recent projections, in addition to the 690 million people who are undernourished in 2019, at least another 83 million, and perhaps as many as 132 million, will be hungry in 2020. An estimated 370 million youngsters will be missing school meals by July 2020. With these additional shocks, children's dietary quantity and quality are expected to deteriorate further, falling below the already precarious situation that existed prior to COVID-19, when only 29% of children aged 6 to 23 months were fed a minimally diverse diet and only 53% were fed the minimum meal frequency.