. We should understand that long term habits acquired in a community setting is difficult to change and great patience is warranted.  

ROLE OF ATTITUDINAL   FACTORS   IN FOOD SELECTION TOO

 . if we are able to change the attitude of people towards present food habits and science of nutrition then much of the battle is won. By appropriate counselling we can overcome significant barriers to the adoption of nutritious foods that still exist amongst poor illiterate INDIAN men & women who suffer from malnutrition most.

 Contrary to commonly held assumption, particularly among policy makers and program managers in agriculture, attitudinal factors- such as ‘crave for certain foods’ which are neither ‘energy yielding’ nor ‘calorie yielding’ play an important part in the persistence of malnutrition in spite of some economic surge in our country.

Conditions.

In summary

Malnutrition is no longer viewed as a medical problem. Instead many issues need to address to eradicate MALNUTRIION.    Though   ensuring adequate food to citizen is a constitutional binding that is too often not done. Additionally, ensuring adequate food to citizen may not guarantee good health and maintainennance of NUTRITIONAL status unless other basic health measures are simultaneously implemented which may cost much and demand heavy budgetary allocation.

           

Women’s empowerment is essential for effective implementation of all Family Welfare which includes Birth Control Programmes as well .

            To be successful, family planning programmes need to be associated with social development and Women empowerment programmes, so that they (women) are in a position to take decisions that are in their interest and use available F.P. services accordingly.            

           

           

           

Globally ‘Branded Nutritional Foods’ are becoming more attractive to affluent persons. They often prefer branded food products which are more appealing than normal homemade foods.  How many rich persons consume Puffed Rice (murk, chiro, khai)? How many of us take GUAVA  or ATA(fruit), jamrul, jam, palang sakk, kumro, pepe and fresh vegetables which contains more fibres?

ROLE OF RURAL FOOD COUNSELOR - PERSONS WITH THREE MONTHS TRAINING ON LOCAL FOOD STUFF 

Scientific knowledge on low-cost but nutritious foods, balanced diet, rational cooking methods, and appropriate storage of food items and above all relevance of safe drinking water can however be impacted by Medical personnel, NGO or by Media people.

But are all such persons worried / devoted to such heavy burden of malnutrition? Are educated urban people committed to malnutrition of rural people or urban poor or those who have migrated from other states?

 How many NGOs are dedicated on the nutritional problems of Indian mothers and children???