Climate Change Deepens Malnutrition Crisis In Maha: UNICEF Nagpur: Climate change is increasingly contributing to the worsening malnutrition crisis in Maharashtra, with its effects disproportionately impacting pregnant women and young children. UNICEF has highlighted that climate-related shocks such as droughts, rising temperatures, and agrarian distress are intensifying food insecurity and reducing dietary diversity, particularly in tribal regions, farming communities, and urban informal settlements. These issues were discussed at a capacity-building workshop on maternal nutrition and inclusive early childhood development, organized jointly by UNICEF India and the Press Information Bureau at IMA Hall. Experts emphasized that the consequences of climate change are most severe during pregnancy and early childhood—critical periods for fetal growth and brain development. Nutritional deficiencies during these stages can lead to lifelong health problems, including an increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. Dr. Mrudula Phadke, a former vice-chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences and senior advisor to the state government and UNICEF, noted that food insecurity, heat stress, and physically demanding labor during pregnancy not only endanger the mother’s health but also shape the long-term health outcomes of the child. Dr. Subodh S Gupta from Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences added that nutrition, early childhood development, and climate vulnerability are interconnected factors beginning before conception and accelerating during the first 1,000 days of life.#maharashtra #unicef #press_information_bureau #ima_hall #maternal_nutrition
