The 21st Century has been marked by increased volatility in food prices, with global price spikes in 2007-08, 2010-11, and again in 2021-22. The impact of food inflation on the risk of child undernutrition is not well understood, however.

Background
Inadequate food and water resources negatively affect child health and the efficiency of nutrition interventions.

Low coverage of effective nutrition interventions in many high-burden countries, due to service provision and demand factors, result in poor uptake of recommended practices and nutrition outcomes.

Malnutrition continues to be a major health burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and is one of the predominant risk factors for ill health and death, with women and children being most vulnerable.

Improving diet quality of preschool children is challenging in countries undergoing food environment and nutrition transition.

Understanding the types of food systems interventions that foster women’s empowerment and the types of women that are able to benefit from different interventions is important for development policy.

Uttar Pradesh, situated in the northern part of India, accounts for 7.3 percent of the country’s area, includes 75 districts subdivided into 822 blocks, 97,914 populated villages, and 915 cities and towns (Uttar Pradesh State Government 2017).