A Family-Based Approach to Nutrition

Abstract

It is accepted that in South Asia, adult males have first choice from the food basket. As such, male malnutrition was never considered an issue in nutrition policy. Recent data, however, reveal little difference in male and female nutrition levels. The issue here is that in families where the adult male, who is often the main wage earner, is severely debilitated, food supplements for women and children may be of little value. It has often been stated that nutrition interventions focused on women and children have the highest rates of return. However, it is quite feasible that broadening the safety net to include interventions for adult males could bring in higher economic benefits and improve outcomes within a generation as against the next generational outcomes of mother and child focused programmes. This analysis utilizes country level FAO data on adult malnutrition and state level NFHS-3 data for India.

An earlier version of this chapter has been published as Fast Track to End Hunger and Food Insecurity: the Family Health Approach presented at the International Symposium on Poverty Alleviation Strategies: Experiences and New Ideas, 13–15 Oct 2010, Istanbul and published in Kundaraci, Nevzat Fırat et al. (ed.) (2011). International Symposium on Poverty Alleviation Strategies: Experiences and New Ideas, 13–15 October 2010, Symposium Book, Volume 2 (pp. 467–483), SATA Advertisement, Design, Publishing and Printing House, Turkey.