Science & Technology
Life Science and Human Health
Nutrition and Deficiency Diseases
Nutrients, vitamins and minerals with their deficiency diseases, malnutrition indicators (NFHS-5) and nutrition programmes in India and Chhattisgarh for CGPSC.
Prerequisites
- Cell and Human Body Systems — digestion, blood and hormones, which this page builds on.
- Agricultural Science — crops, millets and biofortification are the supply side of nutrition.
The Hook: A Hot Meal at the Anganwadi
Connect
At 11 a.m. in a village in Dantewada, the anganwadi (आंगनबाड़ी) worker serves a hot meal to toddlers and pregnant women: rice, dal, a green leafy vegetable, perhaps an egg. She weighs each child on a hanging scale and marks a growth chart. A girl from the nearby school takes her weekly blue iron–folic acid tablet. The ration shop down the road now gives out rice with a few slightly different-looking grains mixed in: fortified rice.
Each of these steps targets a specific nutrient and a specific disease. Why iron? Why does a child look “normal” yet count as stunted? Why does Chhattisgarh push kodo and kutki millets? This page answers these questions.
Why it matters: “Vitamin X deficiency causes disease Y” is one of the most reliable Prelims question types. In Mains (GS-II and the welfare papers), malnutrition and anaemia are standard questions, and Chhattisgarh’s tribal districts give you the local angle.
The Nutrients (पोषक तत्व)
| Nutrient | Main job | Energy | Good sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | Main fuel | About 4 kcal/g | Rice, wheat, millets, potato, sugar |
| Proteins | Body building, repair, enzymes, antibodies | About 4 kcal/g | Pulses, milk, eggs, meat, fish, soybean |
| Fats | Concentrated energy; carry fat-soluble vitamins | About 9 kcal/g (the highest) | Oils, ghee, nuts |
| Vitamins | Regulate body processes; needed in tiny amounts | None | Fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs |
| Minerals | Bones, blood, nerves, enzymes | None | Leafy vegetables, milk, salt, meat |
| Water | Medium for all reactions; temperature control | None | — |
| Dietary fibre (roughage) | Not digested; prevents constipation, helps control blood sugar and cholesterol | None | Whole grains, millets, vegetables, fruit |
A balanced diet provides all of these in the right amounts. The ICMR–National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad publishes India’s official dietary guidelines; a revised edition, Dietary Guidelines for Indians, was released in 2024.
Vitamins (विटामिन) and Their Deficiency Diseases
The word “vitamine” was coined by Casimir Funk (1912).
Fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, K (stored in the body)
| Vitamin | Chemical name | Deficiency disease / symptom | Sources and notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Retinol | Night blindness, xerophthalmia (dry eyes), Bitot’s spots; lowers resistance to infection | Carrots, yellow fruits, green leafy vegetables, milk, liver. Plants give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A |
| D | Calciferol | Rickets (children: soft, bent bones), osteomalacia (adults) | Made in the skin in sunlight; fish oil, egg yolk. Helps absorb calcium |
| E | Tocopherol | Nerve and muscle problems; linked to fertility | Vegetable oils, nuts. An antioxidant |
| K | Phylloquinone | Delayed blood clotting (bleeding) | Green leafy vegetables; also made by gut bacteria. Newborns get a vitamin K injection at birth |
Water-soluble vitamins: B group and C (not stored; needed daily)
| Vitamin | Chemical name | Deficiency disease / symptom | Sources and notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | Thiamine | Beriberi (nerves, heart, muscles) | Whole grains; polished rice loses it, which is why beriberi was linked to polished rice |
| B2 | Riboflavin | Cracked lips and mouth corners (cheilosis), sore tongue | Milk, eggs, green vegetables |
| B3 | Niacin | Pellagra: the “3 Ds” (dermatitis, diarrhoea, dementia), fatal if untreated | Associated with maize-dominant diets |
| B6 | Pyridoxine | Anaemia, nerve problems, convulsions in infants | Cereals, pulses, meat |
| B9 | Folic acid (folate) | Megaloblastic anaemia; in pregnancy, neural tube defects in the baby | Green leafy vegetables; given as IFA tablets in pregnancy |
| B12 | Cobalamin | Pernicious anaemia, nerve damage | Contains cobalt; found naturally only in animal foods (milk, eggs, meat), so strict vegetarians are at risk |
| C | Ascorbic acid | Scurvy: bleeding gums, slow wound healing | Citrus fruits, amla (आंवला), guava, tomato. Destroyed by heat and long storage; helps absorb iron |
Minerals (खनिज लवण)
| Mineral | Role | Deficiency / excess |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | Part of haemoglobin | Iron-deficiency anaemia (the most common nutritional deficiency in India) |
| Iodine | Needed for thyroxine | Goitre; cretinism in children; hence iodised salt |
| Calcium | Bones and teeth, clotting, muscle contraction | Weak bones (osteoporosis in old age), rickets with vitamin D lack |
| Phosphorus | Bones, ATP, DNA | Weak bones |
| Zinc | Immunity, growth, wound healing | Stunted growth, diarrhoea; ORS is given with zinc for child diarrhoea |
| Sodium, potassium | Nerve impulses, fluid balance | Excess sodium (salt) raises blood pressure |
| Fluorine | Strong tooth enamel | Lack: dental caries. Excess (high-fluoride groundwater): dental and skeletal fluorosis |
Protein–Energy Malnutrition (PEM)
| Feature | Kwashiorkor | Marasmus |
|---|---|---|
| Cause | Mainly protein deficiency, often after weaning onto a starchy diet | Deficiency of both energy (calories) and protein |
| Typical age | 1–3 years (after weaning) | Usually infants under 1 year |
| Look | Oedema (swelling), pot belly, skin and hair changes, moon face | Severe wasting, “skin and bones”, wrinkled old-man face, no oedema |
Measuring child malnutrition
| Indicator | Measure | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Stunting (नाटापन) | Low height-for-age | Chronic, long-term undernutrition |
| Wasting (दुबलापन) | Low weight-for-height | Acute, recent undernutrition or illness |
| Underweight (कम वजन) | Low weight-for-age | A composite of both |
The numbers (NFHS-5, 2019–21)
| Indicator | India | Chhattisgarh |
|---|---|---|
| Stunting, children under 5 | 35.5% | about 35% |
| Wasting, children under 5 | 19.3% | about 19% |
| Underweight, children under 5 | 32.1% | about 31% |
| Anaemia, children 6–59 months | 67.1% | — |
| Anaemia, women 15–49 years | 57.0% | 60.8% |
Chhattisgarh figures are rounded from the NITI Aayog State Nutrition Profile. Within the state, stunting is markedly higher in the southern Bastar division districts (Bijapur, Sukma, Dantewada, Narayanpur, Bastar) than in districts such as Bilaspur. NFHS-5 is the latest completed round as of 2026; check for NFHS-6 results before the exam.
The triple burden of malnutrition
India now faces three problems at once: undernutrition (stunting, wasting), hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiencies such as iron, iodine, vitamin A, B12, D) and overnutrition (overweight, obesity and the diabetes and hypertension that follow). A Mains answer that mentions only one of the three is incomplete.
Anaemia (रक्ताल्पता): one symptom, many causes
| Cause | Example |
|---|---|
| Nutritional | Lack of iron, folic acid, vitamin B12 |
| Infection | Malaria (destroys RBCs), hookworm (blood loss) |
| Genetic | Sickle cell disease, thalassaemia |
| Physiological | Pregnancy, heavy menstrual loss |
So iron tablets alone cannot end anaemia: deworming, malaria control and sickle cell screening are part of the solution. Chhattisgarh, with a large tribal population and high sickle cell burden, shows this clearly (see Communicable Diseases and Health Programmes for the sickle cell mission).
Nutrition Programmes
National
| Programme | Year | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) | 2 October 1975 | Runs the anganwadi network: supplementary nutrition, growth monitoring, immunisation support, pre-school education |
| National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme | 1992 (renamed from the National Goitre Control Programme of 1962) | Universal iodised salt |
| Mid-Day Meal → PM POSHAN | 1995 → renamed and revamped in 2021 | Hot cooked meal for children in government and government-aided schools |
| POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission) | Launched 8 March 2018, Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan) | Targets stunting, undernutrition, anaemia and low birth weight; uses technology for growth monitoring; Poshan Maah is observed in September |
| Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 | Announced in the 2021–22 Budget | Merges anganwadi services, POSHAN Abhiyaan and the scheme for adolescent girls |
| Anaemia Mukt Bharat | 2018 | “6×6×6” strategy: 6 target groups, 6 interventions, 6 institutional mechanisms; weekly IFA supplements, deworming, testing |
| Rice fortification | Announced on 15 August 2021; rolled out in phases | Rice fortified with iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 distributed through the PDS, ICDS and PM POSHAN |
| International Year of Millets | 2023 (UN, on India’s proposal) | Millets promoted as “Shree Anna” for nutrition and climate resilience |
Chhattisgarh
| Initiative | Key point |
|---|---|
| Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyan | Launched 2 October 2019 to reduce malnutrition and anaemia in children under 6 and anaemia in women aged 15–49; hot meals and extra nutrition through anganwadis |
| Chhattisgarh Millet Mission | Launched in 2021 to raise production and procurement of millets such as kodo, kutki and ragi, which grow well in the state’s rain-fed, tribal uplands |
| Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) | District and block-level facilities that admit children with severe acute malnutrition for medical and dietary care |
See Economy, Budget and State Schemes of Chhattisgarh and Welfare and Development Programmes for the wider scheme picture.
Analysis for Mains: Why Malnutrition Persists
- Poverty and food insecurity, especially in remote forest villages.
- Poor diet diversity: rice-heavy diets with too little protein, vegetables and fruit.
- Maternal factors: early marriage, anaemic mothers, low birth weight, short gaps between births.
- Infection–malnutrition cycle: diarrhoea, worms and malaria waste nutrients, and a malnourished child catches infections more easily.
- WASH gaps: unsafe water, open defecation and poor hygiene.
- Delivery gaps: anganwadi coverage, supply interruptions and weak monitoring in difficult areas.
Way forward: the first 1,000 days (pregnancy to age two) are the window that matters most; dietary diversity including millets, eggs and pulses; fortification and biofortification; convergence of health, WCD, education and PDS; community-based management of acute malnutrition; and women’s education and income.
Memory Tricks
Fat-soluble vitamins: 'ADEK' (the fat deck)
A, D, E, K dissolve in fat and are stored; everything else (B group, C) dissolves in water and must be eaten daily. Excess fat-soluble vitamins can be toxic because they are stored.
Vitamin–disease chain
“All Night · B1 Beriberi · C Scurvy · D bones (Rickets) · K Klotting”
B3 pellagra = 3 Ds (dermatitis, diarrhoea, dementia), and B3 has the 3 in its name.
Stunting vs wasting
Stunting = Short (height, long-term). Wasting = Weight for height (thin, recent).
Don’t Confuse
| This | vs | That |
|---|---|---|
| Kwashiorkor: protein lack, oedema, pot belly | vs | Marasmus: calorie + protein lack, severe wasting, no oedema |
| Rickets: vitamin D, children | vs | Osteomalacia: vitamin D, adults; osteoporosis: bone loss with age |
| Megaloblastic anaemia: folic acid / B12 | vs | Microcytic anaemia: iron |
| Goitre: iodine (thyroid enlarged) | vs | Cretinism: iodine / thyroxine lack from birth, stunted body and mind |
| ICDS: 1975, anganwadi | vs | POSHAN Abhiyaan: 2018, mission mode with targets |
| Fortification: nutrients added during processing | vs | Biofortification: crop bred to be nutrient-rich (e.g. zinc-rich rice, iron-rich pearl millet) |
Common Mistakes
MCQ traps
- “Vitamin C is fat-soluble.” False. It is water-soluble and destroyed by cooking heat.
- “Night blindness is caused by vitamin B1 deficiency.” False. It is vitamin A. B1 causes beriberi.
- “Vitamin B12 is plentiful in plant foods.” False. It comes naturally from animal foods and microbes, which is why vegetarians are at risk.
- “Stunting shows recent, acute malnutrition.” False. Stunting is chronic; wasting is acute.
- “Fluorosis is caused by fluorine deficiency.” False. It is caused by excess fluoride, usually in groundwater.
- “Pellagra is caused by protein deficiency.” False. It is caused by niacin (B3) deficiency.
Practice
All questions below are original practice questions written in CGPSC style. They are not previous-year questions.
Level 1: Foundation
- Deficiency of vitamin ______ causes scurvy.
- Low height-for-age in a child is called ______.
- Which vitamin is made in the skin in the presence of sunlight?
Answers
- C (ascorbic acid).
- Stunting.
- Vitamin D.
Level 2: Prelims MCQs
Q1. Match List I (Vitamin) with List II (Deficiency disease):
| List I | List II |
|---|---|
| A. Thiamine (B1) | 1. Pellagra |
| B. Niacin (B3) | 2. Rickets |
| C. Calciferol (D) | 3. Beriberi |
| D. Ascorbic acid (C) | 4. Scurvy |
- (a) A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4
- (b) A-1, B-3, C-2, D-4
- (c) A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
- (d) A-3, B-2, C-1, D-4
Answer and explanation
(a) A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4. Thiamine deficiency causes beriberi; niacin deficiency causes pellagra (dermatitis, diarrhoea, dementia); vitamin D deficiency causes rickets in children; vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy.
Q2. Consider the following statements:
- Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble and can be stored in the body.
- Vitamin B12 contains cobalt.
- Vitamin K is synthesised by bacteria in the human intestine.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 1 and 2 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
(d) 1, 2 and 3. All three are standard facts. The fat-soluble group is ADEK. Cobalamin (B12) has a cobalt atom at its centre. Gut bacteria produce vitamin K, which is one reason long courses of antibiotics can affect clotting.
Q3. A child with swollen feet and face, a protruding belly and discoloured, thin hair, living on a diet of mostly rice after weaning, is most likely suffering from:
- (a) Marasmus
- (b) Kwashiorkor
- (c) Rickets
- (d) Goitre
Answer and explanation
(b) Kwashiorkor. Oedema (swelling) is the tell-tale sign that separates kwashiorkor (mainly protein deficiency) from marasmus (severe wasting from lack of both calories and protein, without oedema).
Q4. Fortified rice distributed through the Public Distribution System in India is fortified with:
- (a) Iodine, zinc and vitamin A
- (b) Iron, folic acid and vitamin B12
- (c) Calcium, vitamin D and iron
- (d) Iron, iodine and vitamin C
Answer and explanation
(b) Iron, folic acid and vitamin B12. These three target nutritional anaemia. Iodine is delivered through iodised salt, not rice.
Q5. “Wasting” in children under five refers to:
- (a) Low height for age
- (b) Low weight for age
- (c) Low weight for height
- (d) High weight for height
Answer and explanation
(c) Low weight for height. It reflects acute, recent undernutrition. Low height-for-age is stunting; low weight-for-age is underweight; high weight-for-height is overweight.
Level 3: Mains Answer Writing
Q1. (60 words) What is “hidden hunger”? Name two programmes that address it.
Model answer outline
- Definition: deficiency of micronutrients (iron, iodine, vitamin A, folic acid, B12, zinc) even when calorie intake is adequate; the person may not look hungry.
- Effects: anaemia, poor immunity, impaired cognition and productivity.
- Programmes: Anaemia Mukt Bharat (2018, 6×6×6 strategy); rice fortification through PDS, ICDS and PM POSHAN; universal iodised salt.
Q2. (150–200 words) Malnutrition in Chhattisgarh is concentrated in its tribal districts. Discuss the causes and suggest measures.
Model answer outline
- Intro: NFHS-5 (2019–21): about 35% of children under five in Chhattisgarh are stunted and 60.8% of women aged 15–49 are anaemic; stunting is far higher in the Bastar division districts.
- Causes:
- Poverty, remoteness and seasonal food insecurity in forest villages.
- Rice-heavy diets with low protein and micronutrient intake.
- Malaria, worm infestation and diarrhoea (infection–malnutrition cycle).
- Genetic contributors to anaemia such as sickle cell disease.
- Weak service delivery in conflict-affected, hard-to-reach areas.
- Measures:
- Strengthen anganwadis under Poshan 2.0; hot cooked meals (Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyan, 2019).
- Fortified rice, IFA and deworming under Anaemia Mukt Bharat.
- Malaria control, sickle cell screening and counselling.
- Millets (kodo, kutki, ragi) and forest foods in meals; Chhattisgarh Millet Mission.
- NRCs for severe acute malnutrition; women’s education and livelihoods.
- Conclusion: A convergent, first-1,000-days approach that combines food, health and livelihood measures is needed in the tribal belt.
Quick Revision Table
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Energy per gram | Carbohydrate 4, protein 4, fat 9 kcal |
| Fat-soluble vitamins | A, D, E, K |
| A / D / K | Night blindness / rickets / delayed clotting |
| B1 / B3 / B9 / B12 | Beriberi / pellagra / megaloblastic anaemia, neural tube defects / pernicious anaemia |
| C | Scurvy; destroyed by heat; amla is a rich source |
| Iodine | Goitre, cretinism |
| Excess fluoride | Fluorosis |
| Kwashiorkor / marasmus | Protein (oedema) / calories + protein (wasting) |
| Stunting / wasting / underweight | Height-for-age / weight-for-height / weight-for-age |
| NFHS-5 India | Stunting 35.5%, wasting 19.3%, underweight 32.1%, women’s anaemia 57.0% |
| NFHS-5 Chhattisgarh | Stunting about 35%, women’s anaemia 60.8% |
| ICDS | 2 October 1975 |
| POSHAN Abhiyaan | 8 March 2018, Jhunjhunu |
| Anaemia Mukt Bharat | 2018; 6×6×6 |
| PM POSHAN | 2021 (renamed Mid-Day Meal) |
| Fortified rice | Iron, folic acid, B12; announced 15 August 2021 |
| Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyan (CG) | 2 October 2019 |
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- Learn vitamins as name → chemical name → deficiency disease → source; ADEK are fat-soluble.
- Stunting is chronic (height), wasting is acute (weight-for-height): know NFHS-5 figures with their date.
- Anaemia has nutritional, infectious and genetic causes, so its solution is multi-sectoral.
- India faces a triple burden: undernutrition, hidden hunger and obesity.
- Programmes to remember: ICDS (1975), POSHAN Abhiyaan (2018), Anaemia Mukt Bharat (2018), PM POSHAN (2021), fortified rice, and Chhattisgarh’s Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyan (2019).
What’s Next
- Communicable Diseases and Health Programmes — the infections that worsen malnutrition
- Vaccines and Immunity — how nutrition and vaccines together protect children
- Social Aspects of Chhattisgarh — health and nutrition in the state’s social context
- Poverty, Unemployment and Inclusive Growth — the economic roots of malnutrition
Advertisement