Milk’s Importance and Consumption Disparities
Milk is crucial for providing protein, calcium, and other nutrients in Indian diets, especially for children.
Research links milk consumption to reduced stunting and underweight in children.
However, milk consumption is highly unequal across income groups, regions, and social categories.
Top-income households consume 3-4 times more milk than the lowest-income households, with poorer regions and social groups having limited access.
Barriers to Milk Access
Affordability is a major barrier, with many households needing to spend a large portion of their income on milk to meet recommended consumption levels.
Urban households consume more milk than rural ones, and affluent households often consume more than the recommended amount, leading to concerns about overnutrition and obesity.
Vulnerable groups like children, pregnant women, and the elderly in low-income areas need prioritized access to milk.
Strategies to Improve Milk Access for Vulnerable Groups
Enhance milk provisions in programs like POSHAN and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), and increase financial support to ensure better distribution.
Innovative Financing: Use social bonds, corporate funding, and increase taxes on unhealthy foods to fund milk access for the vulnerable.
In regions with strong dairy networks, milk coupons could lower distribution costs and boost local milk markets.
Awareness and Healthy Consumption
Promote milk’s benefits through awareness campaigns targeting women and communities, particularly in rural areas, to improve dietary diversity.
Encourage balanced diets and moderation in milk consumption for the affluent to reduce overnutrition and improve milk affordability for those in need.
Look at models like the UK’s “Change4Life” campaign, which successfully reduced sugar and fat consumption, as a model for similar initiatives in India.
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