PESHAWAR, Nov 29: Malnourishment among women and children has increased in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata over the last decade and therefore, they should be provided with balanced diet for fighting diseases, say the findings of the National Nutrition Survey-2011.

These findings were shared with the participants of a function here at a local hotel on Tuesday.

Noted among those in attendance were Khyber Pakhtunkhwa special secretary (health) Professor Dr Noorul Iman, director-general (health services) Dr Sharif Ahmad Khan, director (health) Fata Dr Fawad Khan, Islamabad nutrition wing's Dr Baseer Achakzai and head of paediatric department at the Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar Professor Dr Gohar Rehman, who spoke about the health problems of women and children and suggested measures for prevention of malnutrition among them.

The survey was conducted by the health department, Pakistan Medical and Research Council, Cabinet Division and the Aga Khan University, Karachi with the financial assistance of the Department for International Development, UK and Australian Agency for International Development, while 27,963 households from all the four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan participated in it.

The households were asked about their income, education and knowledge about diseases with a special focus on causes of malnutrition among women and children.

The survey found that there was a slight improvement in the cases of underweight children.

According to the findings, 15.1 per cent children suffered from acute malnutrition compared to 14.1 per cent in 2001, while 43.6 per cent children had mild malnutrition that more than 40 per cent reported during the last survey conducted in 2001.

“This has made children vulnerable to diarrhea, dysentery, anaemia, pneumonia and respiratory tract infections.”

The survey also showed that 31.5 per cent children were underweight against 37.5 per cent reported in the previous survey and that 31.1 per cent were born underweight.

According to the findings, 62.5 per cent children and 52 per cent pregnant women suffered from severe anaemia compared to 49.7 per cent and 45 per cent during the last exercise respectively.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata, increase in the cases of malnutrition among women and children was reported. The prevalence of malnutrition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was 43-48 per cent and Fata 58 per cent. A total of 17.2 per cent children were malnourished and 24.1 per cent underweight in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa compared to 13 per cent and 35.5 per cent noted in previous survey respectively.

Anaemia was found among 42.8 per cent children and 29.6 per cent pregnant women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa compared to 56 per cent and 44 per cent reported in 2001.

The survey found that 58 per cent households didn't have access to balanced diet nationwide, while 72 per cent households in Sindh, 63 per cent in Balochistan, 58.4 per cent in Fata, 57 per cent Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 39.8 per cent and 28.2 per cent were food deficient.

The main reasons, it said, were lack of awareness of significance of zinc, vitamins, iodine, and national calamities that trigger mass displacement and poverty.