Nutritionists have shown their concerns that stunted growth in the children in Pakistan is alarming as it is the hitting 45 percent of the children.

They addressed a seminar on delivery of protein and micronutrient to school going children arranged by Faculty of Food, Nutrition and Home Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF). Presiding over inaugural session, UAF Faculty of Food Nutrition and Home Sciences Dean Dr Masood Sadiq Butt called for enhanced efforts to address the issue of malnutrition and suggested food fortification to address the issue of malnutrition and food insecurity. He said that simplicity and traditional food habits would help improve the situation. He said that malnutrition issue was worsening due to changing life style so that there is a need to create about balanced usage of food. He said that effective measures are needed to educate the people about the healthy way of life. He said that junk food had become common in our lives that are not good for health. He said that the country is losing 3 percent of Gross Domestic product due to malnutrition whereas loss inflicted by energy crisis is 2 percent of GDP. Dr Faiz Ul Hassan Shah said that said vitamin D deficiency at high with 60 percent; vitamin A 45 percent whereas maternal anaemia deficiency stands at 49 and child stunting level 43 percent. He said that we should put focus of our children on the homemade dishes full of energy. Dr Nuzhat Huma said that the education about nutritive and balanced food at school level will help overcome the issue. He said that malnutrition has emerged the biggest problem than energy crisis. Dr Kamran Sharif said that healthy food was essential for the mental and physical growth of the students. He urged people to use balances usage of diet and to adopt the physical activities in their daily lives.