NIMHANS, child health and nutrition, Karnataka
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NIMHANS alumni demand withdrawal of "unscientific" NEP position paper


A few alumni of the Bengaluru-based NIMHANS ((National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences) have slammed a NEP 2020 ‘Position Paper on Health and Wellbeing’, published by the Karnataka department of state educational research training (DSERT), as “outrageous, outdated, unscientific and frivolous” and demanded that it must be withdrawn immediately.

Raising their concern over a position paper on improving child health and nutrition written by Ayurveda and Yoga ‘experts’ without a paediatrician on board, the alumni group has written to the director of NIMHANS to immediately dissociate the premier centre for mental health and neuroscience education in the country from this “ridiculous report”.

The position paper has been written by an expert group chaired by Dr K John Vijay Sagar, professor and head of child and adolescent psychiatry, NIMHANS.

Not enough protein in Indian diet

Meant for framing national curriculum, the paper advocates yoga for the mental health of children, plant-based foods as being more human-friendly, eggs and meat being responsible for lifestyle disorders and so on, without providing any conclusive evidence, said the alumni group.

Contrary to these claims, they continued, a comparison of the Indian diet with the EAT-Lancet reference diet has clearly shown that Indian diets are unhealthy and that Indians consume excess amounts of cereals and not enough proteins. Also, studies have further reported that 63-79 per cent of our people, particularly in rural areas, cannot afford nutritious food.

Also read: Over 10 lakh children in Karnataka deprived of education: Report

The paper makes another false claim that malnutrition has reduced in India from 38.4 per cent to 25  per cent by 2022, said the alumni group. The fact is that according to an analysis of the district wise data of NHFS-5, between 2016 and 2021, severe malnutrition in pre-school children increased in 341 districts out of 707 and COVID-19 related lockdowns and school closures would certainly worsen the situation much further.

According to the alumni, comprising of paediatricians, psychiatrists and physicians, there is a “mountain of evidence” to prove that it is the excessive consumption of sugars such as fructose (fruit sugar) and glucose (malt sugar, cereal grains) that causes non-communicable diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, degenerative diseases and even many psychiatric problems such as ADHD, depression, anxiety etc., in children as well as adults.

Eggs should be included in children’s diet

“There is also enough evidence proving that eggs and proteins have a protective effect against obesity and other NCDs,” they said. Furthermore, the elaborate study done by the Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayati Raj University, Gadag on providing supplementary nutrition under mid-day meal scheme in Yadgir and Gadag districts has very clearly showed that children of Yadgir who received eggs in their mid-day meal had significant gains in weight and BMI. The study had stated that only four per cent of Yadgir was unwilling to consume eggs, and did not show any resistance or ill-effects on minds.

Karnataka and the Centre have already decided to provide eggs in seven districts and approved it for other districts as well, for 46 days of the year. Therefore, the recommendation goes against the decision of the government, said the group, urging the government to provide eggs in midday meals for a minimum of 150 days.

Meanwhile, the position paper available on the DSERT website has recommended to the government that while planning mid-day meals, cholesterol-free, additives-free, such as eggs, flavoured milk, biscuits, should be forbidden to prevent obesity and hormonal imbalance caused by excess calory and fat.

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“Even the small body frame of Indians, any extra energy provided through cholesterol by regular consumption of egg and meat leads to lifestyle disorders. Lifestyle disorders like diabetes, early menarche, primary infertility in India are escalating, and studies conducted across the countries suggest that animal-based foods interfere with hormonal functions in humans,” said the position paper.

Seven steps of Indian holistic medicine

The purpose of the position paper, is to make the students to remember the fundamental principles envisioned by the Rishis of our country, to illustrate the importance of SAPTHAPADI, the seven steps of holistic medicine concept of Indian philosophy, and to emphasise integrative therapy with ayurveda, yoga, unani, siddha, homeopathy concepts.

The position paper claims the presence of Panchakosha, the five layers (sheaths) ‘covering the atman’. The alumni group urged the director as well as the head of child psychiatry at NIMHANS to provide proof of the existence of such ‘sheaths’ or to immediately withdraw the paper.

As former students of NIMHANS, the group said they were “aghast and deeply pained” that such a “ludicrous and irresponsible report” that bears the name of Dr K John Vijay Sagar as chairperson of the expert group that has prepared this paper.

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