According to the 2024 GHI, what is India's child wasting rate, and how does it compare globally?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Correct Answer
18.7%
Explanation
According to the 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI), India's child wasting rate is reported at 18.7%. This indicator measures the proportion of children under the age of five who have low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition. Globally, this figure places India among the countries with the highest levels of child wasting. The GHI highlights that while India has made strides in various health sectors, child wasting remains a significant public health challenge, indicating that a substantial portion of the population faces severe nutritional deficiencies that require urgent policy intervention.
Key Points
Child wasting is one of the four key components used to calculate the Global Hunger Index. India's performance in this specific metric has been a point of global concern, as it reflects not just food availability, but also the quality of health services, sanitation, and clean water access. Addressing this rate requires a multi-pronged approach involving maternal health improvements, nutritional support programs like Anganwadi services, and enhanced public health infrastructure to reduce infection rates among young children.
Important Questions and Answers
Question: What are the four indicators used to calculate the Global Hunger Index?
Answer: The four indicators are Undernourishment (insufficient caloric intake), Child Stunting (low height for age), Child Wasting (low weight for height), and Child Mortality.
Question: Why is child wasting considered a critical indicator of nutritional status?
Answer: Child wasting is a strong predictor of mortality among children under five and is primarily caused by recent or severe episodes of food deprivation and/or disease, making it a key measure of immediate health status.