Undernutrition in India

This book deals with issues related to undernutrition and anaemia in India. It establishes its interconnectedness with poverty, tribal living conditions, contraception usage, dietary diversity, and socioeconomic inequality. It addresses SDG 2, namely “end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.” It puts forth the linkages between mother's economic empowerment and children's nutritional status, anaemia of women with particular reference to tribal women, and the issues associated with anaemia in India. It also delves into the relationship between contraceptive usage and anaemia level. It explores the proximate and intermediate determinants of undernutrition disaggregated at the state level in India. It elaborates the importance of ensuring food security and suggests policy measures to improve maternal and child health. The book is an asset for all researchers, academicians, clinicians and policy makers dealing with sociology, economics, public policy, social work, population study, gender issues, biostatistics, health, development, and nutrition.

Aparajita Chattopadhyay is currently associated with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) as a professor, Department of Population and Development where she has invested significant time in academic research and postgraduate teaching for two decades. An area expert in geography and demography, Chattopadhyay has also served at the Banaras Hindu University as a faculty with the Department of Geography for a brief period. Her teaching and research career include a portfolio of wide-ranging research projects and peer-reviewed academic publications. She has been a recipient of awards and grants for academic achievements/ research from reputed universities and organizations including the likes of the Presidency College Calcutta, University of Calcutta, International Institute for Population Sciences, Indian Association for the Study of Population, University of Karachi, RAND corporation, Columbia University, USA, to highlight a few. She handled different research projects funded by the Government of India, UNICEF, etc., like Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI), Comprehensive Nutrition Survey in Maharashtra and Gujarat, SWABHIMAAN base line study, and Population, Environment and Settlement Project (Pop-Envis). Springer Nature published two of her books in 2020. Her area of research interests includes environment, development, gender issues, aging, nutrition, and health.

Akancha Singh is a Ph.D. scholar at the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS). Having done her graduation in economics from the Banaras Hindu University, she has good understanding in economic theories and statistical analyses. She has received awards and medals for her academic performance from esteemed institutions like the Banaras Hindu University and the International Institute for Population Sciences. Her area of interest is adolescent and child nutrition, gender studies, aging, and public health. She is currently working on nutritionalissues among the elderly in India. She strongly believes in the power of one-to-conversations and aspires to bridge the nutrition-knowledge gap for young women, children and elderly. She is an ardent believer in the efficacy of grass-root level interventions in eradicating inequality and aspires to build efficient community-based network to deal with social and economic challenges.

Samriddhi S. Gupte is an M.Phil. graduate from the International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai. She has done her Master’s in Economics from the Banaras Hindu University and has a Masters' degree in Population Studies from the International Institute for Population Sciences.  She has won accolades for her academic performances. Her areas of interest are gender and development studies, nutrition, and public health. She thoroughly believes that any change starts with self, and she aims to touch the lives of as many people as she can, in a positive manner, through her words and works. She is currently working as a research analyst at Max Institute of Healthcare Management, Indian School of Business (ISB).