India is re-evaluating the international data parameters used to measure its socio-economic progress, considering the need to accommodate national diversity and local anthropometric measurements.
The country is actively discussing the formulation of its own standards to cater to its specific needs and address alleged anomalies associated with using international norms.
Global indicators like childhood stunting, female labor force participation rate, and life expectancy at birth often present a misleading picture of India's socio-economic development, leading to underestimation and improper data adjustments.
The growing use of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) norms in investment and trade decisions increases the need for accurate socio-economic data.
Skewed or underestimated data can impact policy interventions and global indices.
Countries like Indonesia, the U.K., and the U.S. have developed their own growth charts for reference by medical practitioners, acknowledging the diversity of children's growth.
The United Nations Population Division sharply reduced India's life expectancy at birth from 70.19 in 2019 to 67.24 in 2021, raising concerns about the application of globally established standards.
Instead of questioning the standards, some experts suggest that India should focus on analyzing the status of health and nutrition services provided to children.
India aims to improve its performance and is open to a paradigm shift in the current biased parameters to better reflect its progress and drive further development.
Concerns have been raised about the universal applicability of growth standards, leading some countries, including the United States, to adopt their own country-specific benchmarks.
The use of WHO growth standards in India has resulted in the overestimation of stunting and wasting cases.
Adopting an India-specific reference could provide a more accurate assessment.
While WHO growth standards are valuable for global comparisons, caution is advised when modifying clinical protocols or formulating feeding recommendations.
India should engage in a transparent discussion to assess the appropriateness of sole reliance on these standards.
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