New Delhi: India’s battle against malnutrition today is as much about knowledge and awareness as it is about access to food. Findings from the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) reveal that one in two adolescents suffers from poor nutritional health, with iron, vitamin A, and zinc deficiencies being widespread. While large-scale initiatives such as Poshan Abhiyaan, the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, and Anaemia Mukt Bharat have improved nutrition outcomes considerably, experts point out that the real breakthrough will come when nutrition education becomes a regular part of school life.
Stressing the urgency, Dr. K. Madan Gopal, Advisor & Head of Public Health Administration at NHSRC, explained: “On average, a newborn weighs around 2.5 kilos, but many infants are born between 2 and 2.5 kilos, and in rural India, the proportion of babies under 2 kilos remains high. This has lasting consequences. If proper nutrition is denied in the first 1,000 days, it affects survival, brain development, learning abilities, and even predisposes individuals to chronic illnesses such as diabetes. India talks about harnessing its demographic dividend, but that promise depends on raising a generation that is healthy and nutritionally secure. Interventions targeting schoolchildren, especially adolescents, are therefore crucial for nation-building.”
Dr. Gopal also noted that despite government schemes providing mid-day meals to more than 12 crore children—covering at least a third of their daily calorie needs—serious gaps persist. With over 60% of Indian women still anaemic, nutrition-related disadvantages are being carried forward across generations. He emphasised that when corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts work in tandem with government frameworks, they can help plug these gaps and create stronger, healthier communities.
In response to this need, a new School Nutrition Education initiative has been introduced across 12 schools in Delhi and Chennai—spanning both government and NGO-run institutions. The project, led by the Nourishing Schools Foundation with support from Amway India, is expected to reach over 12,000 people in its first year, including 3,000 schoolchildren. Launched in conjunction with National Nutrition Week and the theme “Eat Right for a Better Life”, the program brings nutrition literacy into classrooms through interactive learning kits, teacher training, and student-led activities and showcases.
Nutrition specialists highlight that such efforts are about more than just teaching children what to eat. They help inculcate lifelong healthy habits, improve academic performance by linking nutrition to learning, and empower young people to take charge of their own well-being. As India moves toward its Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, school-based nutrition education is increasingly being recognised as an essential pillar in building a healthier, more productive population.