Kerala child rights body flags high sugar content in anganwadi nutrition mix

The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has issued a directive asking authorities to reduce or eliminate added sugar from Amrutham Nutrimix, a fortified nutrition supplement distributed to children in anganwadi centres across the state.

The action was triggered by a complaint highlighting that the current formulation contains 20 per cent sugar, a level that exceeds recommendations set by the World Health Organization. The WHO guidelines on sugar intake for children are considerably stricter than the concentration found in the existing mix.

Anganwadi centres, part of India's Integrated Child Development Services scheme, serve as critical nutrition intervention points for children aged six months to six years, particularly in underserved communities. The supplementary nutrition provided through these centres is intended to address malnutrition and support healthy child development.

The commission's intervention underscores growing scrutiny of nutritional standards in public health programmes across India. Officials have been asked to reformulate the supplement to align with international health guidelines while maintaining its nutritional efficacy and palatability for young children.

The directive comes amid broader efforts in Indian states to strengthen nutrition security for vulnerable child populations and ensure that government-sponsored programmes meet contemporary health standards.