Understanding NITI Aayog's National MPI Nutrition Deprivation

The National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), developed by NITI Aayog based on the global methodology, measures poverty beyond just income. It looks at multiple deprivations faced by a household simultaneously across three dimensions: Health, Education, and Standard of Living. Each dimension includes specific indicators.

Within the Health dimension, one of the key indicators is Nutrition. A household is considered deprived in the Nutrition indicator based on whether any member of the household shows signs of undernourishment based on specific criteria.

Analyzing the Statements on Nutrition Deprivation

Let's examine the two statements provided regarding the criteria for a household being considered deprived in nutrition according to the NITI Aayog MPI:

• Statement 1: a single member of the household is identified as under-nourished
• Statement 2: the body mass index of a woman member, between 15 years and 49 years of age, is below 18.5 kg/m²

According to the methodology for the NITI Aayog MPI (aligned with the global MPI), a household is deprived in the Nutrition indicator if any child aged 0-59 months or any woman aged 15-49 years is undernourished. The criteria for identifying undernourishment differ slightly between children and adults:

• For children aged 0-59 months, undernourishment is typically assessed using anthropometric measures like weight-for-age, height-for-age, or weight-for-height based on WHO Child Growth Standards.
• For women aged 15-49 years, undernourishment is identified if their Body Mass Index (BMI) is below \(18.5 \text{ kg/m}^2\). BMI is calculated using the formula: \( \text{BMI} = \frac{\text{weight (kg)}}{\text{height (m)}^2} \).

Now let's revisit the statements:

• Statement 1 states that a household is deprived if "a single member" is under-nourished. This aligns with the core principle of the Nutrition indicator in the MPI, which counts a household as deprived if *any* eligible member (children 0-59 months or women 15-49 years) is found to be undernourished based on the specific criteria. So, if even one member meets the criteria for undernourishment, the household is deprived in nutrition. This statement captures the general rule.
• Statement 2 provides a specific condition: the BMI of a woman member (15-49 years) is below \(18.5 \text{ kg/m}^2\). This is precisely the criterion used to identify undernourishment in women aged 15-49 years in the NITI Aayog MPI methodology. If any woman within this age group in the household has a BMI below this threshold, the household is considered deprived in the Nutrition indicator. This statement describes a specific scenario that triggers deprivation under the general rule mentioned in Statement 1.

Therefore, both statements describe conditions that lead to a household being classified as deprived in the Nutrition indicator according to the National MPI constructed by NITI Aayog.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis of the NITI Aayog MPI methodology for the Nutrition indicator, a household is considered deprived if either of the conditions described in Statement 1 (a single member is under-nourished) or Statement 2 (a woman member aged 15-49 has BMI below \(18.5 \text{ kg/m}^2\), which is a specific way a member is identified as undernourished) is met. Thus, both statements accurately describe deprivation criteria used in the index.

Revision Table: NITI Aayog National MPI Overview

Additional Information: Importance of MPI and Nutrition Indicator

The Multidimensional Poverty Index is a crucial tool for understanding poverty more comprehensively than traditional income-based measures. By looking at simultaneous deprivations, it highlights the interconnected challenges faced by poor households.

The Nutrition indicator is particularly significant as undernourishment has long-term impacts on health, education, and productivity, perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Focusing on nutrition deprivation helps policymakers target interventions effectively to improve health outcomes and break this cycle.

The NITI Aayog National MPI provides a state and district-level picture of poverty, enabling granular analysis and targeted policy interventions across India.