Mummy-daddy culture cause of malnutrition

BANGALORE: Women and child development minister C C Patil feels cultural changes in recent times are causing malnutrition in children.
Replying in the legislative council on Tuesday, he said, "Malnutrition is not restricted to rural areas, it exists in urban centres too. The 'mummy-daddy' culture and the 'baby care centre' concept have contributed to it.''
By 'mummy-daddy' culture, he meant the educated class.According to him, women were not breastfeeding their children and this was a factor of malnutrition. He said working parents leaving their children at daycare centres was also causing malnutrition. The minister said poverty, lack of awareness, early marriage, lack of spacing between two children, diseases and lack of personal hygiene were causing malnutrition among children in rural areas.
So, what is the government doing to solve the problem? Both Union and state governments are together spending Rs 3.50 per day on every child. The minister, who gave a list of programmes to help children, admitted it was difficult to ensure complete nutrition to children with this amount. "However, the proposed comprehensive nutrition mission by the Centre should help the state,'' he added.
Responding to suggestions by members for region-specific food under the nutrition programme, the minister said the government would change the menu after taking into account regional food preferences.