Vikrant Shekhawat : Jul 29, 2021, 05:40 PM
New Delhi. The nationwide lockdown imposed in India in 2020 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic disrupted agricultural supply chains in the country which negatively impacted the nutritional status of women. This information has come to light in a new study. The research, published in the journal 'Economia Politica', showed that even though food value chains and allied activities were exempted from the lockdown, women's food diversity—the number of food groups consumed—during the period compared to 2019 It had happened.New Delhi's Tata-Kornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition found that the decline was due to reduced consumption of foods such as meat, eggs, vegetables and fruits that are rich in micronutrients that are essential for good health and growth. Huh. Co-author of the study, Soumya Gupta, research economist at TCI, said, "Women's diets lacked diverse foods even before the global pandemic, but COVID-19 made the situation worse.""Any policy looking at the impact of the global pandemic on nutritional outcomes has to be viewed from a gender perspective, reflecting the specific and often persistent vulnerabilities faced by women," she said. Researchers, including TCI Director Prabhu Pingali, Assistant Director Mathew Abraham and Consultant Payal Seth, analyzed surveys of food expenditure, dietary diversity and other nutritional indicators at national, state and district levels in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha. He found that the closure of Anganwadi centers during the lockdown also caused unequal burden on women.
These centers, which provide rations and hot cooked meals for lactating and pregnant women to take home, are an important source of nutrition for women and children. Data from 155 hours surveyed showed that 72 per cent of eligible households had access to anganwadi services during the global pandemic. The study found that subsequent disruptions in agricultural supply chains resulted in price fluctuations, particularly in the prices of non-staple food items. About 90 percent of those surveyed reported eating less food, while 95 percent said they consumed less type of food.
According to the researchers, the biggest drop in food expenditure occurred in micronutrient-rich fresh and dried fruits as well as animal products such as meat, fish and eggs. The survey also revealed a decrease in the quantity and quality of nutritious foods consumed by women during the pandemic. "Because of the effects of maternal malnutrition, this risk poses a risk not only to women's fertility and their well-being, but also to their children," said Gupta. Factors are linked, including income, bargaining power, social status, interpersonal relationships, tastes, and preferences. He said unequal food allocation within households is also linked to the role of women in various family systems, including women eating after all other members have eaten.
These centers, which provide rations and hot cooked meals for lactating and pregnant women to take home, are an important source of nutrition for women and children. Data from 155 hours surveyed showed that 72 per cent of eligible households had access to anganwadi services during the global pandemic. The study found that subsequent disruptions in agricultural supply chains resulted in price fluctuations, particularly in the prices of non-staple food items. About 90 percent of those surveyed reported eating less food, while 95 percent said they consumed less type of food.
According to the researchers, the biggest drop in food expenditure occurred in micronutrient-rich fresh and dried fruits as well as animal products such as meat, fish and eggs. The survey also revealed a decrease in the quantity and quality of nutritious foods consumed by women during the pandemic. "Because of the effects of maternal malnutrition, this risk poses a risk not only to women's fertility and their well-being, but also to their children," said Gupta. Factors are linked, including income, bargaining power, social status, interpersonal relationships, tastes, and preferences. He said unequal food allocation within households is also linked to the role of women in various family systems, including women eating after all other members have eaten.