Lower-income families lack awareness about nutritional food: Expert

Stating that she had conducted a study recently on the importance of vitamin intake, Divya said, “We found that most children in the state suffer from vitamin D deficiency after we noticed that most kids in government schools were suffering from persistent cold which lasted almost a year. Persons from lower income families lack any knowledge on the importance of nutrition.” 

“Deficiencies in vitamin B 12 and vitamin D is primarily prevalent in the state and this issue needs to be addressed. Children today refrain from indulging in any form of exercise and junk food is all that is consumed. 

Lower income families are not aware of what is the right kind of food that needs to be given to their children,” she added.

While vitamin D deficiency has been increasing among children in the recent past, B 12, which is common only in non-vegetarian food is lacking among people because many are taking up vegetarianism today. 

Stressing on the fact that the mid-day meal programme fails to provide children with milk, Divya urged the state government to consider consultations with nutritionists to ensure children are given food with right amounts of nutrition. 

Having been made the goodwill ambassador of Akshaya Patra – which also provides mid-day meals to school children – Divya said, “I will sit with the team that plans the meals, to ensure they either provide the children with milk or other foods that can replace the role of milk in the children’s bodies.”