Hungry Bones, Tired Blood: What Screening Of 3 Lakh Women Tells Us About India’s Nutritional Crisis

On World Health Day 2025, India faces a quietly unfolding public health emergency—nutritional deficiencies among women. And the data behind this is not speculative; it is concrete and alarming.

According to Redcliffe Labs, which screened over 3 lakh women across India during a series of community health camps:

  • Around 45% were found to have low haemoglobin, raising their risk of anaemia, fatigue, reproductive complications, and weakened immunity.
  • Approximately three in four were Vitamin D deficient, leaving them vulnerable to hormonal imbalances, muscle weakness, bone loss, and long-term metabolic conditions.

“Many women don’t realise the toll nutritional deficiencies take until they manifest as fertility issues or chronic fatigue,” said Dr Mayanka Lodha Seth, Chief Pathologist at Redcliffe Labs. “This is not just about feeling tired—this is about a foundational gap that affects every aspect of a woman’s life.”

Global Lens: What Top Institutions Say

The Redcliffe findings echo broader global concerns:

  • The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health reports that over half the world’s population is deficient in critical micronutrients—especially iron, iodine, selenium, and vitamin B12—with women being the most vulnerable.
  • The Cleveland Clinic warns that vitamin B12 deficiency is widely underdiagnosed in women, leading to neurological issues, mood disorders, and persistent fatigue.
  • A Brigham and Women’s Hospital study found that maternal undernutrition contributes to complications such as low birth weight, stunting, and childhood metabolic disorders—creating a ripple effect for future generations.

The Indian Picture: Deepening Disparities

In India, the situation is more dire. A study published in BMC Nutrition reported that over 50% of pregnant women in Pune’s slums consumed less energy and protein than recommended, with shockingly low levels of iron, zinc, folate, and thiamine. Only one in three had adequate dietary diversity.

This aligns with a study titled “Maternal Diets in India: Gaps, Barriers, and Opportunities”, published by the ICMR–National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, in collaboration with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington. It found that more than half of all Indian women are anaemic, and many subsist on cereal-heavy diets that fail to provide essential micronutrients.

The consequences are generational. Maternal deficiencies increase the risk of babies being born with low birth weight, reduced immunity, and long-term cardiometabolic vulnerabilities. Poor maternal nutrition has been linked to childhood stunting and insulin resistance, according to research in Wiley’s Maternal and Child Nutrition Journal.

Old Wisdom, New Science

Ancient Indian epics have long echoed the importance of maternal well-being. In the Mahabharata, Abhimanyu is said to have learned the art of war in his mother Subhadra’s womb—an allegory that modern epigenetics now supports. Science has established that a mother’s physical and emotional state during pregnancy can shape her child’s mental and metabolic health.

Add to this the growing body of evidence from conflict zones and refugee camps: children born in environments of maternal stress are significantly more prone to neurodevelopmental delays and behavioural disorders.

The Road Ahead

Solving this crisis requires more than awareness. India needs:

  • Routine screening for haemoglobin, Vitamin D, B12, and thyroid levels
  • Affordable nutritional interventions—including fortified foods, supplementation, and dietary counselling
  • A cultural shift that teaches girls early that energy, fertility, and focus all begin with nutrition
  • Policy support for maternal wellness at schools, workplaces, and community health levels

As Aditya Kandoi, CEO of Redcliffe Labs, puts it, “The goal is not just diagnosis, but empowerment. Awareness is only the first step.”

The 3 lakh women screened have taken that first step. But millions remain unaware, silently carrying the burden of nutritional depletion—often mistaking it for normalcy.

This World Health Day, India must resolve not to wait for another report. The time to act is now—with urgency, foresight, and a commitment to maternal well-being.

The writer is a senior independent journalist.

 

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