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Written By: Sponsored | Published : September 13, 2025 4:19 PM IST
Dr. Rukhsar Khan, M.B.B.S., M.D. Community Medicine.
Why is the month of September so important for a public health expert? Because we, as health providers to the community , not only think about diseases but also about their prevention whether it is from infection or from malnutrition. The month of September also known as "Poshan Maah", is a month dedicated to remind us of something very basic, yet often overlooked : the food on our plates and the nutrition it brings to our lives.
"Poshan Maah" launched in 2018 by the Government of India as part of the larger Jan Andolan (People's Movement) to promote nutrition literacy, healthy practices and behavior change.
The truth is hard to ignore, despite the continuous efforts of government and health care providers at grass root level India still battles the burden of malnutrition. The NFHS -5 data reveals that 35.5% of children under five are stunted, 19% are wasted and 32% are underweight reflecting how many young lives are still at risk of poor growth and development. When we talk about nutrition, we can never ignore anemia which is one of the India's most stubborn challenges. Almost 67% of children aged 6 to 59 months are anemic which explains why so many little ones struggle with weakness, recurrent illness and delayed growth. Among women aged 15 to 49 years 57% are affected including more than half of pregnant women battles anemia who need iron the most. This means every second woman we meet could be silently fighting fatigue, low concentration and reduced work capacity. And its not only the picture of women in India, Men too are part of this story, with one in four men (25%) aged 15-49 years are suffering from anemia. This is not just a problem of womanhood or motherhood, it is the concern of nation cutting across the gender and age which can be prevented with something as simple as A plate filled with iron rich foods!
Dr. Rukhsar Khan, M.B.B.S., M.D. Community Medicine.
Numbers like these remind us why campaign are so crucial. This year's campaign "8th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2025" will be observed from 12th September to 11th October, focusing on the theme: " Right Nutrition, Healthy Life" with idea to further intensify the efforts to combat malnutrition and promote holistic wellbeing across the nation. Across villages, blocks and districts, activities like outreach programs, health camps, identification drives and home to home visits will take place to reach people directly. Here, the idea is simple; to bring the message of good nutrition to every doorstep and involve the whole community in the process.
Dr. Rukhsar Khan, M.B.B.S., M.D. Community Medicine.
But Poshan Maah is not just about government programme, it is about people. Real change starts when families, school and communities come together. In this journey grassroot level workers like Anganwadi workers, ASHAs and ANMs remains the backbone and are often the first point of contact for families. Schools and teachers also play an important role. When a teacher explains why eating guava, banana or sprouted moong is better than a packet of chips, it plants habits for life. Mid-day meals in schools when prepared with millets, vegetables and eggs not only fill stomach but also fight malnutrition.
When we talk of solutions, they need not always be expensive. Our traditional diets have already simple, affordable food that can protect against anemia and malnutrition if used wisely. For children giving handful of roasted peanuts, jaggery or chana between meals can add both energy and iron. Dishes made with ragi, bajra or sprouted moong are excellent for growth and are cheaper than processed snacks. Adding Drumstick (munga) also known as the miracle tree for its rich nutritional properties to the diet can increase iron and vitamin intake. There are some affordable Sources of iron (per 100g) : poultry, chicken liver (9.9mg), amaranth leaves (cholai, tamri bhaji), red (7.3mg), Bengal gram whole (6.8mg), Raisins (6.8mg), bajra (6.4mg), fenugreek leaves (methi saag) (5.7mg), dates dark brown (4.9mg), ragi (4.6mg), jaggery (4.6mg). Iron rich food are best absorbed when eaten with vitamin C rich foods like lemon or amla. They should not be consumed with tea, coffee, cold drinks and tobacco as these reduces iron absorption. Similarly, here are affordable protein rich foods (per 100g) : soya bean (37.8g), tuna fish (24.5g), lentil (masoor) dal (24.4g), groundnut (23.7g), chicken hen, breast with skin (22g), black gram dal (23g), bengal gram dal (22g), paneer (18.9g), egg whole (13.3g), bajra (11g), wheat flour (10g), milk whole, cow (3.3g).
If every household add just one nutritional item daily, be it is a seasonal fruit, a bowl of sprout, or a green leafy vegetable we can change the face of malnutrition in India.
The goals of Poshan Maah are also tied deeply with the world's larger commitment of The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that is goal number 2 aiming End hunger and all forms of malnutrition. At the end of the day, nutrition is not a privilege but it is a right. Every child deserves to grow, every mother deserves strength and every family deserves health. A well -nourished child is more likely to do better in school, a healthy mother is more likely to raise healthy family and a nourished population is the foundation of a productive and progressive nation, stronger India.
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