Why this chapter matters for UPSC: Nutrition and deficiency diseases directly link to public health policy (GS2) — POSHAN Abhiyaan, Anaemia Mukt Bharat, mid-day meals, food fortification. India's malnutrition burden is one of the largest in the world and is a recurring UPSC topic.

PART 1 — Quick Reference Tables

Nutrients — Functions and Sources

Nutrient Function Main Food Sources
Carbohydrates Energy (4 kcal/g); main fuel for body Rice, wheat, maize, potato, sugar
Proteins Body building; repair; enzymes, antibodies Dal, eggs, meat, fish, milk, soybean
Fats Energy reserve (9 kcal/g); fat-soluble vitamins; insulation Butter, ghee, oil, nuts, meat
Vitamins Regulate body functions; protect from disease Fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs
Minerals Bone/teeth formation; nerve function; blood Milk (Ca), spinach (Fe), iodised salt (I)
Water Transport nutrients; regulate temperature; 60-70% of body Water, all food contains water
Roughage (Dietary Fibre) Aids digestion; prevents constipation; no nutritional value Whole grains, vegetables, fruits

Vitamins — Types, Sources, Deficiency Diseases

Vitamin Type Key Sources Deficiency Disease
A (Retinol) Fat-soluble Carrot, papaya, mango, milk, liver Night blindness; Xerophthalmia
B1 (Thiamine) Water-soluble Whole grains, nuts, legumes Beriberi (nerve/heart)
B2 (Riboflavin) Water-soluble Milk, eggs, leafy vegetables Cracked lips, skin rashes
B3 (Niacin) Water-soluble Meat, groundnuts, whole grains Pellagra (3 Ds: Dermatitis, Diarrhoea, Dementia)
B12 Water-soluble Meat, fish, dairy (not found in plants) Anaemia; nerve damage; risk for strict vegans
C (Ascorbic acid) Water-soluble Amla (highest), citrus, guava, tomato Scurvy (bleeding gums, weak bones)
D (Calciferol) Fat-soluble Sunlight (skin synthesis), fish liver oil, fortified milk Rickets (children), Osteomalacia (adults)
K Fat-soluble Green leafy vegetables, liver Impaired blood clotting

Minerals — Key Examples

Mineral Function Sources Deficiency
Calcium (Ca) Bones, teeth, muscles Milk, ragi, sesame Rickets, osteoporosis
Iron (Fe) Haemoglobin (carries oxygen) Spinach, jaggery, liver, dried fruits Anaemia — India's biggest micronutrient deficiency
Iodine (I) Thyroid hormone production Iodised salt, seafood Goitre; cretinism in newborns
Phosphorus Bones, teeth, DNA Meat, fish, dairy, legumes Weakness, bone pain
Zinc Immune function, growth Meat, seeds, legumes Growth retardation, poor immunity

PART 2 — Detailed Notes

Balanced Diet

Key Term

Balanced Diet: A diet that contains all essential nutrients — carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, water, and roughage — in the right proportions needed for good health, growth, and body function.

The composition varies by age, gender, activity level, and physiological state (pregnant women need more iron and folic acid; growing children need more protein and calcium).

ICMR-NIN Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA): The Indian Council of Medical Research's National Institute of Nutrition publishes dietary guidelines for different population groups in India.

Malnutrition in India

UPSC Connect

UPSC GS2 — India's malnutrition burden:

India has one of the highest malnutrition burdens in the world despite being a major food producer. This paradox is called the "paradox of plenty" — food is produced but not reaching or being absorbed by all.

Key data (NFHS-5, 2019-21):

  • Stunting (low height-for-age): 35.5% of children under 5
  • Wasting (low weight-for-height): 19.3% of children under 5
  • Underweight (low weight-for-age): 32.1% of children under 5
  • Anaemia in women (15–49 years): 57% — extremely high
  • Anaemia in children (6–59 months): 67.1%

Why high anaemia? Iron deficiency is the most common micronutrient deficiency in India — driven by low consumption of iron-rich foods, poor iron absorption (phytates in cereals block absorption), and low Vitamin C intake.

Government schemes to address malnutrition:

  • POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission, 2018): Target to reduce stunting, underweight, anaemia, and low birth weight
  • Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB): Targets 15–49 year olds and children; iron and folic acid supplementation
  • PM POSHAN (formerly Mid-Day Meal Scheme): School meals for 11.8 crore children; provides protein, calories, micronutrients
  • Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP): Through Anganwadi centres (ICDS); for children 0–6 years and pregnant/lactating women
  • Food Fortification: Adding micronutrients to staple foods — fortified rice (iron, folic acid, B12) under PMGKAY and PDS; iodised salt mandatory since 1983 (Salt Iodisation Act)

Important Deficiency Diseases — Detail

Rickets vs Scurvy (commonly confused):

  • Rickets: Vitamin D deficiency → calcium not absorbed properly → soft, deformed bones in children (bow legs, skull deformities)
  • Scurvy: Vitamin C deficiency → collagen synthesis fails → bleeding gums, loose teeth, poor wound healing; historically killed sailors on long voyages (no fresh food)

Beriberi:

  • Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) deficiency
  • Two types: Wet beriberi (heart failure, oedema) and Dry beriberi (nerve damage, muscle weakness)
  • Historic association with polished white rice diets (milling removes the thiamine-rich bran)

Night Blindness:

  • Vitamin A deficiency → rod cells in retina can't function properly in low light
  • India: Vitamin A deficiency is significant in children; National Vitamin A Programme provides megadose Vitamin A capsules to children aged 9 months to 5 years

Goitre:

  • Iodine deficiency → thyroid gland enlarges trying to produce more thyroid hormone
  • Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD): Goitre, cretinism (intellectual disability in newborns of iodine-deficient mothers), hypothyroidism
  • India's response: Universal Salt Iodisation — all edible salt must be iodised under Prevention of Food Adulteration Act and FSSAI regulations

Exam Strategy

Prelims traps:

  • Night blindness = Vitamin A (NOT D or C)
  • Scurvy = Vitamin C (NOT A or D)
  • Rickets = Vitamin D (NOT calcium alone — it's calcium absorption that fails without D)
  • Beriberi = Vitamin B1 (NOT B12)
  • Pellagra = Vitamin B3 (Niacin) — three Ds: Dermatitis, Diarrhoea, Dementia
  • Amla (Indian gooseberry) has the highest Vitamin C content among common foods — higher than citrus
  • Vitamin B12 is found ONLY in animal products — strict vegans need supplementation
  • Anaemia Mukt Bharat targets anaemia from iron deficiency (not all types of anaemia)

Mains connections:

  • Malnutrition despite food surplus → failures of food distribution, absorption poverty
  • POSHAN Abhiyaan + Jan Andolan approach
  • Food fortification as a cost-effective policy

Previous Year Questions

Prelims:

  1. Which vitamin deficiency causes night blindness?
    (a) Vitamin A
    (b) Vitamin B
    (c) Vitamin C
    (d) Vitamin D

  2. Scurvy is caused by the deficiency of:
    (a) Vitamin A
    (b) Vitamin D
    (c) Vitamin C
    (d) Vitamin K

  3. Which of the following has the highest Vitamin C content?
    (a) Lemon
    (b) Orange
    (c) Amla (Indian gooseberry)
    (d) Guava

  4. India's POSHAN Abhiyaan primarily targets:
    (a) Food production increase
    (b) Reduction of malnutrition — stunting, wasting, anaemia
    (c) Organic farming promotion
    (d) Water purification

Mains:

  1. India faces a paradox of high food production alongside high malnutrition. Discuss the causes and the government's policy response. (GS2, 10 marks)