2022 too short, too far: How food systems evolved for the hungry

Down To Earth recaps the primary environment, health and developmental news from 2022

Fine air particles linked with high blood pressure among teen Londoners: Study

The association was found to be stronger in girls

Study underlines air pollution link to increased risks of pre-term birth, birth weight and pregnancy complications

Singleton pregnancies in 2000-2015 in Kansas, US examined

Institutional deliveries on the rise across most states, shows NFHS-5 report

Kerala tops the charts, north-eastern states need to buck up, says survey 

Particularly vulnerable tribes: How a focus on nutrition tipped the health scale for children in remote Odisha

Better funding, community training & cultural context can improve outcomes further, say experts

5 million children died before their fifth birthday in 2021, 1.9 million stillborn: UN reports

A death of child or youth every 4.4 seconds; many could have been prevented with equitable access to high-quality healthcare

How is the Global Hunger Index ranking calculated?

India ranks 107 out of 121 countries in GHI 2022; Centre accuses it of misinformation   

NFHS-5: Child mortality drops, prevalence of malnutrition remains high

Despite the decline, India’s infant mortality rate worst among developing countries 

Nestle adds almost 3 grams of sugar in every serving of baby food Cerelac sold in India

WHO guidelines against adding honey or sugar in food for infants violated only in Asian, African and Latin American countries, finds …

As told to Parliament (February 10, 2023): Smriti Irani says her ministry ‘unaware’ of CSE report on malnutrition deaths

The report by Centre for Science & Environment and DTE shows over 1.7 million Indians die every year due to poor diet

The Gambia may allow female genital mutilation again – another sign of a global trend eroding women’s rights

Proposed changes before parliament could permit medicalised female genital cutting and allow it for consenting adults

Child marriage twice as prevalent in Nigeria’s rural areas than urban: Report

The overall rate of child marriage in the country has declined

As told to Parliament (March 19, 2021): No special plan for children under 15 impacted by pandemic

All that was discussed in the House through the day

Climate-resilient water, sanitation & hygiene policies need of hour to meet global agenda of 2030

The 10 African countries most water-insecure & climate-impacted need immediate attention 

Deadly nursery: Children in Gorakhpur report breathing troubles due to air pollution

Research suggests Indo-Gangetic Plain most affected, Uttar Pradesh at centre of it

What is ‘noma’, the latest addition to WHO’s list of neglected tropical diseases

The severe gangrenous disease of mouth and face has 90% mortality rate and is associated with extreme poverty, malnutrition

‘Over 22 million in Ethiopia facing severe food crisis’

Back-to-back droughts causing food emergency, children at high risk of death from malnutrition, says non-profit

What does Union Budget 2021-22 mean for students, farmers, migrants, health workers? Not much

What was expected in a time of crisis were bold decisions. But finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman decided to play it safe

Exams key anxiety source for Indian students: NCERT survey

Nearly half the students surveyed suffer from body image issues

Extreme weather events led to 12 million displacements of children in 2022, estimates UNICEF

Some 25.8 million children were displaced by internal conflict and violence

Rahima Moosa: South Africa’s only mother and child hospital is falling apart — a veteran doctor reflects on why

The country’s health ombudsman recently published a shocking investigation into Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital 

India tops global charts for childhood diabetes and deaths: Study

Almost 40% increase in cases to 2019 from 1990 globally; largest increase in cases recorded in children aged 10 to 14 years

Has COVID-19 taken the wind out of the sails of India’s school feeding programme

Though the government issued guidelines to states to provide food to all eligible children in March 2020, implementation has been lax

Breastfeeding in times of COVID-19: Will newborns miss out on vital nutrition

Reduction in prevalence of breastfeeding could occur due to limitations in provision and use of health services amid COVID-19 pandemic &…

Age at marriage in India: A gossamer of complexities and intricate linkages

India is the home to largest number of child brides. Nearly 27 per cent women aged 20-24 years were married before attaining 18 years of age