Kerala 2005 - of Planning Commission

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Kerala, in providing a wider access to food which is
complemented by free noon meal for children at school
and supplementary nutritional programme for pre-school
children, pregnant and lactating mothers. The same per
capita intake can lead to different aggregate outcomes
if its distributions are different in different population
groups. Nutritional status is an increasing function of both
intake and absorption. It is possible that in Kerala, lower
intakes are translated into higher outcomes because of
this mediating factor of better absorption caused by high
levels of public health.
2.10 Low Birth Weight
Despite the remarkable achievements in maternal health
care use, the prevalence of low birth weight (LBW)
babies (less than 2.5 kg at full term) in Kerala remains
high. The National Family Health Survey-I (1992-93)
reported 19 per cent of low birth weight babies in rural
Kerala. The study done by the Kerala Shasthra Sahitya
Parishad (KSSP) in 1996 estimated the incidence of LBW
babies to be in the order of 13.3 per cent across Kerala.
Again the NFHS-II (1998-99) survey reported a figure of
15 per cent low birth weight babies in Kerala. The
Reproductive and Child Health Survey (1998-99) reported
that 16 per cent of the babies born were low birth weight.
Recently, a study based on two large hospitals in Kerala, 8
reported around 15 per cent incidence of LBW babies
(Raman Kutty, 2004). The highest incidence of low
birth weight babies was observed in Wayanad district
(30 per cent). The principal risk factors, the study identified,
are mother’s nutritional status before pregnancy, her
weight and height, order of first birth and premature birth
(15 days before the expected date of delivery). As we
have noted earlier, child under-nutrition is in the range of
11-26 per cent with respect to different anthropometric
indicators. LBW babies may be the cause for this.
Low weight at birth must be expected to have longterm
implications for health and well-being. Policy
interventions should be aimed at improving the
nutritional status among children and adolescent girls to
reduce the prevalence of LBW babies. Wayanad has the
highest proportion of tribal population and these poor
health outcomes are a cause for further enquiry.
2.11 Ageing
We have noted earlier that Kerala, with its low fertility
and mortality, now is in the final stage of demographic
transition, which has resulted in a changing age structure
of the population leading to population ageing. The
proportion of population aged 60+ increased from
5.9 per cent in 1961 to 8.8 per cent in 1991 and then to
10 per cent in 2001, which may be attributed to a decline
in fertility. This particular section of the aged population is
expected to reach 17 per cent by the year 2021. However,
when we classify old age population into ‘young old’ (60-69),
'old old' (70-79) and ‘oldest old’ (80 and above), the picture
8 Sree Avittom Thirunal Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Medical Mission Hospital in
Kolenchery are the two large hospitals studied.