NCERT Textbook: Public Nutrition and Health | Home Science for Class 12 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

 Page 1


Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter the learner will be able to:
z z understand the signi??cance and scope of public nutrition.
z z have knowledge about the nutritional problems of public health 
signi??cance.
z z be acquainted with the government programmes that are in operation 
to tackle important nutritional problems.
z z describe the role and functions of a public health nutritionist.
z z explain the knowledge and skills required for a career in public  
health nutrition.
Introduction
In Class XI you studied the basic concepts of nutrition and health, physical 
??tness and wellness. You must be aware of the importance of good 
nutrition as the foundation and cornerstone of health. So what is signi??cant 
about the introduction of the word ‘public’ in this context? Let us ??nd out. 
You are already familiar with the de??nition of health given by the World 
Health Organisation. The concept of public health refers to the collective 
action taken by society to protect and promote the health of the whole 
populations.
Public Nutrition 
And Health
Chapter
3
Chapters.indd   46 8/12/2022   12:13:53 PM
2024-25
Page 2


Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter the learner will be able to:
z z understand the signi??cance and scope of public nutrition.
z z have knowledge about the nutritional problems of public health 
signi??cance.
z z be acquainted with the government programmes that are in operation 
to tackle important nutritional problems.
z z describe the role and functions of a public health nutritionist.
z z explain the knowledge and skills required for a career in public  
health nutrition.
Introduction
In Class XI you studied the basic concepts of nutrition and health, physical 
??tness and wellness. You must be aware of the importance of good 
nutrition as the foundation and cornerstone of health. So what is signi??cant 
about the introduction of the word ‘public’ in this context? Let us ??nd out. 
You are already familiar with the de??nition of health given by the World 
Health Organisation. The concept of public health refers to the collective 
action taken by society to protect and promote the health of the whole 
populations.
Public Nutrition 
And Health
Chapter
3
Chapters.indd   46 8/12/2022   12:13:53 PM
2024-25
Unit II - Nutrition, Food Science 
And Technology
47
In Class XI, you were introduced to the terms undernutrition and 
overnutrition. The mission in public health nutrition is to prevent both 
undernutrition and overnutrition and to maintain optimal nutritional 
status of the population. 
Significance
Why do we need to focus on this speci??c aspect in the ??eld of nutrition? 
Malnutrition is the underlying cause of at least 50 per cent deaths of  
children under ??ve years of age. The statistics for nutrition-related 
problems in our country reveal an alarming situation:
z z Almost one-??fth of the infants born in India are low birth weight 
babies i.e., they weigh less than 2500g or 2.5kg. Low birth weight 
may have adverse effects throughout their growing years and may 
have adverse implications even in adult life. Low birth weight may 
even lead to child mortality.
z z There is widespread prevalence of growth retardation among pre-
schoolers (from socio-economically disadvantaged families) and almost 
half the children suffer from mild and moderate under nutrition.
z z A large proportion of children (and adults) suffers from micronutrient 
de??ciencies in varying degrees of severity also known as hidden 
hunger. The micronutrients of most concern are iron, zinc, vitamin A, 
vitamin C, vitamin D, iodine, folic acid and B12.
If these problems are not controlled in time, they will not only affect 
physical growth which may lead to smaller body stature in adulthood, but 
may also affect mental and cognitive development. All of these, in turn, 
can have negative impact on productivity and quality of life. The costs of 
malnutrition are very high. Experts have estimated that productivity losses 
are more than 10 per cent of lifetime earnings for individuals and 2-3 
percent of gross domestic product for the nation. This clearly indicates that 
if we tackle malnutrition, we can help India to develop, grow economically 
and become a powerful nation.
India mostly faces the problem of under nutrition; however, the 
problem of over nutrition is also on the rise. Gradually, over the years, 
large numbers of persons have altered their dietary patterns and lifestyles. 
With respect to lifestyle, people have become more sedentary, relying on 
faster means of transportation, walking less and doing less amount of 
physical activity. In large cities, even children do not play enough outdoor 
games. Simultaneously dietary patterns have become less ‘healthful’. Food 
choices have become less ‘healthy’ because processed foods, fast foods, 
Chapters.indd   47 8/12/2022   12:13:53 PM
2024-25
Page 3


Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter the learner will be able to:
z z understand the signi??cance and scope of public nutrition.
z z have knowledge about the nutritional problems of public health 
signi??cance.
z z be acquainted with the government programmes that are in operation 
to tackle important nutritional problems.
z z describe the role and functions of a public health nutritionist.
z z explain the knowledge and skills required for a career in public  
health nutrition.
Introduction
In Class XI you studied the basic concepts of nutrition and health, physical 
??tness and wellness. You must be aware of the importance of good 
nutrition as the foundation and cornerstone of health. So what is signi??cant 
about the introduction of the word ‘public’ in this context? Let us ??nd out. 
You are already familiar with the de??nition of health given by the World 
Health Organisation. The concept of public health refers to the collective 
action taken by society to protect and promote the health of the whole 
populations.
Public Nutrition 
And Health
Chapter
3
Chapters.indd   46 8/12/2022   12:13:53 PM
2024-25
Unit II - Nutrition, Food Science 
And Technology
47
In Class XI, you were introduced to the terms undernutrition and 
overnutrition. The mission in public health nutrition is to prevent both 
undernutrition and overnutrition and to maintain optimal nutritional 
status of the population. 
Significance
Why do we need to focus on this speci??c aspect in the ??eld of nutrition? 
Malnutrition is the underlying cause of at least 50 per cent deaths of  
children under ??ve years of age. The statistics for nutrition-related 
problems in our country reveal an alarming situation:
z z Almost one-??fth of the infants born in India are low birth weight 
babies i.e., they weigh less than 2500g or 2.5kg. Low birth weight 
may have adverse effects throughout their growing years and may 
have adverse implications even in adult life. Low birth weight may 
even lead to child mortality.
z z There is widespread prevalence of growth retardation among pre-
schoolers (from socio-economically disadvantaged families) and almost 
half the children suffer from mild and moderate under nutrition.
z z A large proportion of children (and adults) suffers from micronutrient 
de??ciencies in varying degrees of severity also known as hidden 
hunger. The micronutrients of most concern are iron, zinc, vitamin A, 
vitamin C, vitamin D, iodine, folic acid and B12.
If these problems are not controlled in time, they will not only affect 
physical growth which may lead to smaller body stature in adulthood, but 
may also affect mental and cognitive development. All of these, in turn, 
can have negative impact on productivity and quality of life. The costs of 
malnutrition are very high. Experts have estimated that productivity losses 
are more than 10 per cent of lifetime earnings for individuals and 2-3 
percent of gross domestic product for the nation. This clearly indicates that 
if we tackle malnutrition, we can help India to develop, grow economically 
and become a powerful nation.
India mostly faces the problem of under nutrition; however, the 
problem of over nutrition is also on the rise. Gradually, over the years, 
large numbers of persons have altered their dietary patterns and lifestyles. 
With respect to lifestyle, people have become more sedentary, relying on 
faster means of transportation, walking less and doing less amount of 
physical activity. In large cities, even children do not play enough outdoor 
games. Simultaneously dietary patterns have become less ‘healthful’. Food 
choices have become less ‘healthy’ because processed foods, fast foods, 
Chapters.indd   47 8/12/2022   12:13:53 PM
2024-25
48
Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part 1
snacks, western type foods, e.g., burgers, pizzas, biscuits, chocolates, 
cakes and pastries, soft drinks, even Indian mithais, samosas, etc. (that 
are high in energy, sugar, fat, salt and low in other nutrients and ??bre) 
are increasingly becoming part of the daily diet. At the same time, intake 
of whole grains, pulses, vegetables and fruits has reduced. All these lead 
to undesirable/inappropriate weight gain, overweight and obesity and 
ultimately lead to diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, 
cancer, arthritis, among others. These diseases are non-communicable 
and take their toll not only on the physical health but also on quality of 
life, adding to the ??nancial burden.
Thus India is said to face ‘the double burden of malnutrition’ i.e., 
coexistence of both undernutrition and overnutrition. Further, although 
communicable diseases like smallpox have been controlled, newer ones like 
HIV/AIDS and old ones like tuberculosis, hepatitis, malaria, are increasing 
in prevalence. The ultimate consequences of these communicable diseases 
are far worse for those who are not optimally nourished i.e., those who 
are undernourished and those who have lower immunity due to obesity, 
diabetes, HIV/AIDS, etc. This poses challenges for doctors, nutritionists 
and the government in terms of treatment, control and prevention.
There is a tremendous need for a trained cadre of public health 
professionals including public health nutritionists, to address and solve 
these problems. Let us ??rst acquaint ourselves with what is public health 
nutrition.
Basic Concepts
What is Public Health Nutrition?
Public health nutrition is the ??eld of study that is concerned with promotion 
of good health through prevention of nutrition–related illnesses / problems 
in the population, and the government policies and programmes that are 
aimed at solving these problems.  Public health nutritionists / professionals 
use large scale, organised and multidisciplinary approaches to solve the 
problems that affect the population i.e., large number of people for whom 
group action is necessary. Therefore, this ??eld is multidisciplinary in nature 
and is built on the foundations of biological and social sciences. It differs 
from other ??elds of nutrition e.g. clinical nutrition and dietetics, because 
the professionals are required to address problems of the community /
public specially the vulnerable groups. Public Nutrition is a special body 
of knowledge derived from the nutritional, biological, behavioural, social 
Chapters.indd   48 8/12/2022   12:13:53 PM
2024-25
Page 4


Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter the learner will be able to:
z z understand the signi??cance and scope of public nutrition.
z z have knowledge about the nutritional problems of public health 
signi??cance.
z z be acquainted with the government programmes that are in operation 
to tackle important nutritional problems.
z z describe the role and functions of a public health nutritionist.
z z explain the knowledge and skills required for a career in public  
health nutrition.
Introduction
In Class XI you studied the basic concepts of nutrition and health, physical 
??tness and wellness. You must be aware of the importance of good 
nutrition as the foundation and cornerstone of health. So what is signi??cant 
about the introduction of the word ‘public’ in this context? Let us ??nd out. 
You are already familiar with the de??nition of health given by the World 
Health Organisation. The concept of public health refers to the collective 
action taken by society to protect and promote the health of the whole 
populations.
Public Nutrition 
And Health
Chapter
3
Chapters.indd   46 8/12/2022   12:13:53 PM
2024-25
Unit II - Nutrition, Food Science 
And Technology
47
In Class XI, you were introduced to the terms undernutrition and 
overnutrition. The mission in public health nutrition is to prevent both 
undernutrition and overnutrition and to maintain optimal nutritional 
status of the population. 
Significance
Why do we need to focus on this speci??c aspect in the ??eld of nutrition? 
Malnutrition is the underlying cause of at least 50 per cent deaths of  
children under ??ve years of age. The statistics for nutrition-related 
problems in our country reveal an alarming situation:
z z Almost one-??fth of the infants born in India are low birth weight 
babies i.e., they weigh less than 2500g or 2.5kg. Low birth weight 
may have adverse effects throughout their growing years and may 
have adverse implications even in adult life. Low birth weight may 
even lead to child mortality.
z z There is widespread prevalence of growth retardation among pre-
schoolers (from socio-economically disadvantaged families) and almost 
half the children suffer from mild and moderate under nutrition.
z z A large proportion of children (and adults) suffers from micronutrient 
de??ciencies in varying degrees of severity also known as hidden 
hunger. The micronutrients of most concern are iron, zinc, vitamin A, 
vitamin C, vitamin D, iodine, folic acid and B12.
If these problems are not controlled in time, they will not only affect 
physical growth which may lead to smaller body stature in adulthood, but 
may also affect mental and cognitive development. All of these, in turn, 
can have negative impact on productivity and quality of life. The costs of 
malnutrition are very high. Experts have estimated that productivity losses 
are more than 10 per cent of lifetime earnings for individuals and 2-3 
percent of gross domestic product for the nation. This clearly indicates that 
if we tackle malnutrition, we can help India to develop, grow economically 
and become a powerful nation.
India mostly faces the problem of under nutrition; however, the 
problem of over nutrition is also on the rise. Gradually, over the years, 
large numbers of persons have altered their dietary patterns and lifestyles. 
With respect to lifestyle, people have become more sedentary, relying on 
faster means of transportation, walking less and doing less amount of 
physical activity. In large cities, even children do not play enough outdoor 
games. Simultaneously dietary patterns have become less ‘healthful’. Food 
choices have become less ‘healthy’ because processed foods, fast foods, 
Chapters.indd   47 8/12/2022   12:13:53 PM
2024-25
48
Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part 1
snacks, western type foods, e.g., burgers, pizzas, biscuits, chocolates, 
cakes and pastries, soft drinks, even Indian mithais, samosas, etc. (that 
are high in energy, sugar, fat, salt and low in other nutrients and ??bre) 
are increasingly becoming part of the daily diet. At the same time, intake 
of whole grains, pulses, vegetables and fruits has reduced. All these lead 
to undesirable/inappropriate weight gain, overweight and obesity and 
ultimately lead to diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, 
cancer, arthritis, among others. These diseases are non-communicable 
and take their toll not only on the physical health but also on quality of 
life, adding to the ??nancial burden.
Thus India is said to face ‘the double burden of malnutrition’ i.e., 
coexistence of both undernutrition and overnutrition. Further, although 
communicable diseases like smallpox have been controlled, newer ones like 
HIV/AIDS and old ones like tuberculosis, hepatitis, malaria, are increasing 
in prevalence. The ultimate consequences of these communicable diseases 
are far worse for those who are not optimally nourished i.e., those who 
are undernourished and those who have lower immunity due to obesity, 
diabetes, HIV/AIDS, etc. This poses challenges for doctors, nutritionists 
and the government in terms of treatment, control and prevention.
There is a tremendous need for a trained cadre of public health 
professionals including public health nutritionists, to address and solve 
these problems. Let us ??rst acquaint ourselves with what is public health 
nutrition.
Basic Concepts
What is Public Health Nutrition?
Public health nutrition is the ??eld of study that is concerned with promotion 
of good health through prevention of nutrition–related illnesses / problems 
in the population, and the government policies and programmes that are 
aimed at solving these problems.  Public health nutritionists / professionals 
use large scale, organised and multidisciplinary approaches to solve the 
problems that affect the population i.e., large number of people for whom 
group action is necessary. Therefore, this ??eld is multidisciplinary in nature 
and is built on the foundations of biological and social sciences. It differs 
from other ??elds of nutrition e.g. clinical nutrition and dietetics, because 
the professionals are required to address problems of the community /
public specially the vulnerable groups. Public Nutrition is a special body 
of knowledge derived from the nutritional, biological, behavioural, social 
Chapters.indd   48 8/12/2022   12:13:53 PM
2024-25
Unit II - Nutrition, Food Science 
And Technology
49
and managerial sciences. It can also be described as the art and science of 
promoting health and preventing diseases, prolonging life, through the 
organised efforts/action of society.
A community is a speci??c group of people who share common 
characteristics, e.g. a common language, exposed to similar conditions, 
common lifestyle or the same health problem.
Any professional in the ??eld of public nutrition has to promote good 
nutrition and /or to prevent nutritional problems, for which it is important 
to identify the problem and its magnitude , understand how and why these 
problems occur and then plan strategies and actions to implement them 
and evaluate their impact.        
In any society, nutritional problems are not just linked to food but to a 
variety of interacting/interrelated factors at various levels which have been 
summarised in Figure 3.1. While poverty is often the underlying cause, 
the situation becomes worse when a substantial proportion of families do 
not have access to basic amenities. Rural households have less access to 
toilets. Poor sanitation results in loss of work days and further economic 
loss. Further, considerable proportion of the population does not have 
safe drinking water. Working days are lost each year due to water borne 
diseases.
As shown in Figure 3.1, the factors related to nutritional problems range 
from economic factors (availability of ??nancial resources), agricultural 
policy (production, price of various food stuffs), health care facilities/ 
services, their availability and access to the government policies, political 
will and socio-cultural factors. 
Nutritional Problems in India: It is important to have knowledge about the 
nutritional problems in our country. 
Let us discuss these in brief:
a) Protein- Energy Malnutrition(PEM) : Can be found in every society, even 
in developed and industrialised countries, although the numbers are 
fewer in the latter as compared to developing countries. It is caused 
by inadequate food intake vis–a–vis the requirements, i.e., insuf??cient 
intake of the macronutrients (energy and protein). Children are at 
greatest risk although PEM can occur in adults especially the elderly, 
as well as in some diseases e.g. T.B., AIDS, etc. It is assessed by 
evaluating the anthropometric measurements (weight, height, head-
chest circumference, etc.).
Chapters.indd   49 8/12/2022   12:13:53 PM
2024-25
Page 5


Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter the learner will be able to:
z z understand the signi??cance and scope of public nutrition.
z z have knowledge about the nutritional problems of public health 
signi??cance.
z z be acquainted with the government programmes that are in operation 
to tackle important nutritional problems.
z z describe the role and functions of a public health nutritionist.
z z explain the knowledge and skills required for a career in public  
health nutrition.
Introduction
In Class XI you studied the basic concepts of nutrition and health, physical 
??tness and wellness. You must be aware of the importance of good 
nutrition as the foundation and cornerstone of health. So what is signi??cant 
about the introduction of the word ‘public’ in this context? Let us ??nd out. 
You are already familiar with the de??nition of health given by the World 
Health Organisation. The concept of public health refers to the collective 
action taken by society to protect and promote the health of the whole 
populations.
Public Nutrition 
And Health
Chapter
3
Chapters.indd   46 8/12/2022   12:13:53 PM
2024-25
Unit II - Nutrition, Food Science 
And Technology
47
In Class XI, you were introduced to the terms undernutrition and 
overnutrition. The mission in public health nutrition is to prevent both 
undernutrition and overnutrition and to maintain optimal nutritional 
status of the population. 
Significance
Why do we need to focus on this speci??c aspect in the ??eld of nutrition? 
Malnutrition is the underlying cause of at least 50 per cent deaths of  
children under ??ve years of age. The statistics for nutrition-related 
problems in our country reveal an alarming situation:
z z Almost one-??fth of the infants born in India are low birth weight 
babies i.e., they weigh less than 2500g or 2.5kg. Low birth weight 
may have adverse effects throughout their growing years and may 
have adverse implications even in adult life. Low birth weight may 
even lead to child mortality.
z z There is widespread prevalence of growth retardation among pre-
schoolers (from socio-economically disadvantaged families) and almost 
half the children suffer from mild and moderate under nutrition.
z z A large proportion of children (and adults) suffers from micronutrient 
de??ciencies in varying degrees of severity also known as hidden 
hunger. The micronutrients of most concern are iron, zinc, vitamin A, 
vitamin C, vitamin D, iodine, folic acid and B12.
If these problems are not controlled in time, they will not only affect 
physical growth which may lead to smaller body stature in adulthood, but 
may also affect mental and cognitive development. All of these, in turn, 
can have negative impact on productivity and quality of life. The costs of 
malnutrition are very high. Experts have estimated that productivity losses 
are more than 10 per cent of lifetime earnings for individuals and 2-3 
percent of gross domestic product for the nation. This clearly indicates that 
if we tackle malnutrition, we can help India to develop, grow economically 
and become a powerful nation.
India mostly faces the problem of under nutrition; however, the 
problem of over nutrition is also on the rise. Gradually, over the years, 
large numbers of persons have altered their dietary patterns and lifestyles. 
With respect to lifestyle, people have become more sedentary, relying on 
faster means of transportation, walking less and doing less amount of 
physical activity. In large cities, even children do not play enough outdoor 
games. Simultaneously dietary patterns have become less ‘healthful’. Food 
choices have become less ‘healthy’ because processed foods, fast foods, 
Chapters.indd   47 8/12/2022   12:13:53 PM
2024-25
48
Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part 1
snacks, western type foods, e.g., burgers, pizzas, biscuits, chocolates, 
cakes and pastries, soft drinks, even Indian mithais, samosas, etc. (that 
are high in energy, sugar, fat, salt and low in other nutrients and ??bre) 
are increasingly becoming part of the daily diet. At the same time, intake 
of whole grains, pulses, vegetables and fruits has reduced. All these lead 
to undesirable/inappropriate weight gain, overweight and obesity and 
ultimately lead to diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, 
cancer, arthritis, among others. These diseases are non-communicable 
and take their toll not only on the physical health but also on quality of 
life, adding to the ??nancial burden.
Thus India is said to face ‘the double burden of malnutrition’ i.e., 
coexistence of both undernutrition and overnutrition. Further, although 
communicable diseases like smallpox have been controlled, newer ones like 
HIV/AIDS and old ones like tuberculosis, hepatitis, malaria, are increasing 
in prevalence. The ultimate consequences of these communicable diseases 
are far worse for those who are not optimally nourished i.e., those who 
are undernourished and those who have lower immunity due to obesity, 
diabetes, HIV/AIDS, etc. This poses challenges for doctors, nutritionists 
and the government in terms of treatment, control and prevention.
There is a tremendous need for a trained cadre of public health 
professionals including public health nutritionists, to address and solve 
these problems. Let us ??rst acquaint ourselves with what is public health 
nutrition.
Basic Concepts
What is Public Health Nutrition?
Public health nutrition is the ??eld of study that is concerned with promotion 
of good health through prevention of nutrition–related illnesses / problems 
in the population, and the government policies and programmes that are 
aimed at solving these problems.  Public health nutritionists / professionals 
use large scale, organised and multidisciplinary approaches to solve the 
problems that affect the population i.e., large number of people for whom 
group action is necessary. Therefore, this ??eld is multidisciplinary in nature 
and is built on the foundations of biological and social sciences. It differs 
from other ??elds of nutrition e.g. clinical nutrition and dietetics, because 
the professionals are required to address problems of the community /
public specially the vulnerable groups. Public Nutrition is a special body 
of knowledge derived from the nutritional, biological, behavioural, social 
Chapters.indd   48 8/12/2022   12:13:53 PM
2024-25
Unit II - Nutrition, Food Science 
And Technology
49
and managerial sciences. It can also be described as the art and science of 
promoting health and preventing diseases, prolonging life, through the 
organised efforts/action of society.
A community is a speci??c group of people who share common 
characteristics, e.g. a common language, exposed to similar conditions, 
common lifestyle or the same health problem.
Any professional in the ??eld of public nutrition has to promote good 
nutrition and /or to prevent nutritional problems, for which it is important 
to identify the problem and its magnitude , understand how and why these 
problems occur and then plan strategies and actions to implement them 
and evaluate their impact.        
In any society, nutritional problems are not just linked to food but to a 
variety of interacting/interrelated factors at various levels which have been 
summarised in Figure 3.1. While poverty is often the underlying cause, 
the situation becomes worse when a substantial proportion of families do 
not have access to basic amenities. Rural households have less access to 
toilets. Poor sanitation results in loss of work days and further economic 
loss. Further, considerable proportion of the population does not have 
safe drinking water. Working days are lost each year due to water borne 
diseases.
As shown in Figure 3.1, the factors related to nutritional problems range 
from economic factors (availability of ??nancial resources), agricultural 
policy (production, price of various food stuffs), health care facilities/ 
services, their availability and access to the government policies, political 
will and socio-cultural factors. 
Nutritional Problems in India: It is important to have knowledge about the 
nutritional problems in our country. 
Let us discuss these in brief:
a) Protein- Energy Malnutrition(PEM) : Can be found in every society, even 
in developed and industrialised countries, although the numbers are 
fewer in the latter as compared to developing countries. It is caused 
by inadequate food intake vis–a–vis the requirements, i.e., insuf??cient 
intake of the macronutrients (energy and protein). Children are at 
greatest risk although PEM can occur in adults especially the elderly, 
as well as in some diseases e.g. T.B., AIDS, etc. It is assessed by 
evaluating the anthropometric measurements (weight, height, head-
chest circumference, etc.).
Chapters.indd   49 8/12/2022   12:13:53 PM
2024-25
50
Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part 1
1. Quantity and quality of actual resources, e.g., 
human resources, ??nancial and organisational 
(existence of services and the way they are 
operated and controlled).
2. Political, cultural, religious, economic and 
social systems. This includes status of women, 
allocation of funds for programmes to solve 
the problems, environmental degradation and 
biodiversity.
3. Potential resources: environment, technology 
and people.
Basic 
Causes
1. Insuf??cient access to food
2. Poor maternal and child care practices
3. Poor water / sanitation and hygiene
4. Inadequate health services and insuf??cient 
access to health services
5. Inadequate and/or inappropriate knowledge 
and discrimination against women, elderly 
and girl child.
6. Low level of education.
Underlying 
causes at 
Household 
/ Family 
level
1. Inadequate or faulty dietary intake
2. Disease or infections
Immediate 
causes at 
individual 
level
Outcomes Malnutrition, disability and death
Fig. 3.1: Factors Related to Undernutrition
Chapters.indd   50 8/12/2022   12:13:53 PM
2024-25