National Nutrition Week is observed every year in India from 1 to 7 September to spread awareness about the importance of good nutrition, balanced diets and appropriate dietary practices.
It was first observed in India in 1982, following an initiative of the Food and Nutrition Board. Since then, the first week of September has been used to promote better nutritional awareness and address the country’s nutritional challenges.
Key Focus Areas
National Nutrition Week highlights several aspects of healthy nutrition, including:
- Balanced and diverse diets
- Adequate micronutrient intake
- Maternal and child nutrition
- Healthy and appropriate eating habits
- Greater awareness of the relationship between nutrition, health and development
During the week, Anganwadi centres, schools, healthcare institutions and community organisations conduct nutrition education programmes and awareness activities.
The broader goal is to encourage behavioural change and community participation, complementing government efforts to improve India’s overall nutrition outcomes.
Major Nutrition Initiatives in India
National Nutrition Week forms part of a larger network of nutrition-related programmes and awareness campaigns:
| Initiative | Main Focus |
| Rashtriya Poshan Maah | Observed in September to create awareness and promote community action on nutrition under the broader POSHAN framework |
| Poshan Pakhwada | A fortnight-long campaign focusing on nutrition awareness, behavioural change and community mobilisation |
| POSHAN Abhiyaan | Uses the Jan Andolan approach to make nutrition a collective responsibility and encourage sustained behavioural change |
| Eat Right India | Promotes safe, healthy and sustainable food choices through awareness, education and food-system interventions |
| Anaemia Mukt Bharat | Works to prevent and control anaemia through screening, iron-folic acid supplementation, treatment and behaviour-change communication |
Why National Nutrition Week 2026 Matters
India continues to face a significant and evolving nutrition challenge, making sustained public awareness important alongside government intervention.
Child undernutrition remains a concern, although there has been progress. Stunting among children under five declined from 35.5% in NFHS-5 to 29.3% in NFHS-6 (2023–24).
However, nutritional deficiencies remain substantial, with underweight at 31.8% and wasting at around 19%. At the same time, severe wasting declined from 7.7% to 5.2%.
Anaemia and Double Burden of Malnutrition
Anaemia remains another major nutritional concern. According to NFHS-5, anaemia affected:
- 57% of women aged 15–49 years
- 67% of children aged 6–59 months
India is also experiencing a double burden of malnutrition. This means that undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies continue to exist alongside rising overweight, obesity and diet-related diseases.