Experts unite to tackle hidden hunger in mothers and its impact on child brain development

Public health experts from five South Asian countries have called for urgent policy measures to address widespread micronutrient deficiencies among pregnant women, warning that the issue is directly linked to poor neurodevelopmental outcomes in children.

The appeal was made during a two-day SACMIND Stakeholders’ Meeting held at the Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research in Delhi on November 6 and 7. The event brought together scientists and policymakers from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, alongside representatives from UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Participants reviewed data from national nutrition surveys across the region and discussed ways to strengthen maternal health programmes. The deliberations focused on how deficiencies in key nutrients such as Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D continue to affect pregnancy outcomes despite ongoing efforts to combat anaemia.

UNICEF’s Vani Sethi noted that 40 per cent of children in South Asia are born with low birth weight and highlighted the importance of addressing a broader range of micronutrient deficiencies during pregnancy to improve birth outcomes and child health.

SACMIND’s principal investigator Jitender Nagpal pointed out that although India records around 30 million pregnancies each year, the country still lacks a comprehensive national survey assessing micronutrient deficiencies in expectant mothers. He emphasised the need for stronger nutrition surveillance systems to enable data-driven policies and more effective interventions.

Sheila Chandra Vir from the Public Health Nutrition and Development Centre added that the discussions reaffirmed the link between maternal nutrition and child neurodevelopment, underscoring the importance of integrating this evidence into public health strategies.

At the close of the meeting, experts agreed to share their findings with regional governments, recommending the development of robust policies, improved monitoring mechanisms, and greater community-level implementation to ensure better maternal and child health outcomes across South Asia.