39 percent of Indian children are stunted from poor nutrition. And I'm not talking simply about being short. Stunting also - and more importantly - affects the brain; thus, retardation is the real issue. While India can be considered a powerful nation, stunting is worse in India than in Burkina Faso or Haiti, worse than in Bangladesh or North Korea.
No one really knows why child nutrition is such a problem here. Some think the low status of women is a cause as 42 percent of Indian women are underweight before pregnancy. Then during pregnancy, Indian women gain only half the recommended weight. Others point to poor sanitation, particularly open defecation. About half of Indians defecate outside without using toilets.
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