Average daily intake of children inadequate: Renuka

New Delhi, Aug 21 (UNI) The Government today admitted that average daily intake of food and nutrients by pre-school children in the country was below the recommended dietary allowance (RDA).

Minister of State for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that according to the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) Technical Report No 21, 2002, "the average daily intake of protective foods such as milk and milk products, green leafy vegetables, fats and oils was very low in seven to nine year-old children. The consumption of pulses, green leafy vegetables, milk, fruits, fats and oils was inadequate among all other age groups." Replying to supplementaries, the Minister further added that as per a Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention survey conducted during 1990-2000, the nutritional standard of children under five years in China had improved substantially and the calorie and protein intake of the Chinese people met the recommended dietary allowance.

UNI SD PA HS1530