Poor nutrition, sanitation stunting growth in slum kids

Under-nutrition and poor sanitation are stunting the growth of children in the city's structured and unstructured slums, according to a year-long survey conducted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and the MB Barvalia Foundation.

What was the scale of the survey?
The survey was conducted in Mata Ramabai Nagar and Indian Oil Nagar in Ghatkopar with a sample size of 300 children aged between 3 and 12 years.

What were the findings?
According to the survey, the structured slum had a higher percentage of children showing normal nutrition intake. "Out of 150 children from the unstructured slum, only 45 (30%) were reported to have normal nutrition status, while 105 (70%) were underweight," said the report.

Moreover, 70% of the children in the unstructured slum were underweight while the structured slum had only 40.67% underweight children.

What factors were considered?
The report documents the correlation between children's nutrition status and the prevailing poor environmental conditions like lack of proper housing, open defecation practices and no access to clean tap water. These conditions are a harsh reality to all slum dwellers, particularly those in unstructured or illegal, non-notified slums in cities.

Unstructured slums need more attention
Rachel D'Silva, principal author of the survey said, "There is a reasonably stark difference between the nutritional status and the subsequent consequences of nutrition in the two types of settlements. In order to achieve a healthy nutrition status and thus eradicate under-nutrition and malnutrition, the services provided by civic bodies and other government schemes must be made accessible to unstructured slums as well."

Providing food not the only solution
D'Silva further added that the problem of child under-nutrition is often looked at from the angle of providing food and supplementary nutrition. "Policy makers, health workers and researchers have always been of the view that better sanitation facilities, better preventive health facilities and parental education can go a long way in tackling this vexing problem. Sadly, such an approach has been lacking," said D'Silva. The report recommends steps for a holistic approach to tackling the problem.