Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
Double Burden of Malnutrition
"The coexistence of undernutrition (stunting, wasting) and overnutrition (obesity, NCDs) in the same population, household, or individual"
The Double Burden of Malnutrition (DBM) refers to the simultaneous presence of undernutrition (stunting, wasting, micronutrient deficiencies) and overnutrition (overweight, obesity, diet-related non-communicable diseases) within the same country, community, household, or even individual. In India, NFHS-5 (2019-2021) data reveals this paradox starkly: 35.5% of children under five are stunted while 24% of women and 22.9% of men are overweight or obese. At the household level, 7.7% of Indian mother-child pairs exhibit DBM (overweight mother with stunted, wasted, or underweight child). The DBM is driven by the nutrition transition — where calorie-dense, nutrient-poor ultra-processed foods replace traditional diverse diets, creating simultaneous caloric excess and micronutrient deficiency.
A critical UPSC topic for GS-2 (Health and Social Issues) and GS-3 (Food Security). UPSC tests NFHS data, the difference between stunting, wasting, and underweight, India's nutrition programmes (ICDS, POSHAN Abhiyaan, PM POSHAN), and policy responses like PDS reform and front-of-pack labelling. The concept is also relevant for Essay papers on India's health transition.
- 1 Coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition in the same population
- 2 [object Object]
- 3 7.7% of mother-child pairs show DBM; 5.1% show triple burden
- 4 Driven by nutrition transition — UPFs replacing diverse traditional diets
- 5 India's food safety net (PDS) addresses caloric poverty but not dietary diversity
NFHS-5 data shows India's double burden: 35.5% of children under five are stunted (undernutrition) while childhood obesity has risen 60% to 3.4% — and 7.7% of mother-child pairs have an overweight mother with a malnourished child.
