If we conduct a survey, as you have done in some previous chapters, we can find
out about the food people eat by asking them to describe their meals for the day.
Through this, we can get a rough idea of whether all the food groups above are being
covered. However, it is difficult to measure the precise amounts of carbohydrates,
vitamins, proteins, minerals being consumed by each individual in the family.
Nutritionists have devised indicators using height and weight that can inform us
whether individuals are well nourished. Through various measurements of large
population and using statistical knowledge nutritionists have been able to arrive at
reliable standard ranges. A comparison for individual persons is therefore possible.
This gives us the most reliable source of information about nutritional status of
people.

A survey conducted by the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad (NIN)
across many states in the country confirms the overall alarming status of nutrition
in the country. While we have looked at case studies that depict real family
situations of under nutrition and poverty in previous classes, it is also important
to examine some of these faceless statistics. They help us to examine whether these
situations are exceptions or an indication of a general trend. They also help us to
look at issues that may be hidden and not so obvious to common sense.

As discussed above, to examine the nutritional status of children, simple but
accurate measurements of height and weight are used. You could visit an anganwadi
center and observe how this is carried out. Since children grow fast, their weight
changes significantly with age, unlike in adults. For this indicator to be reliable,
weight is to be accurately measured and the correct age should be mentioned. These
readings are then plotted against charts that have been deve-loped by nutritionists
to examine if they fall with in a normal range or below.

For exa￾mple, when we plot the weight of a child against his age it tells us
whether the child is underweight. This is for one child.