A very eggciting menu, but is it really enough?

The state government has decided to extend the distribution of eggs from classes 1 to 8 at government schools in all districts, according to an official order released on Wednesday.

The process was started in eight districts under the centrally sponsored Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman scheme to distribute eggs, chikki, or bananas for 46 days in an academic year. Currently, the scheme is operational in these eight districts on a fund-sharing basis by both central and state governments. However, for the rest of the districts, the scheme will be funded by only the state.

The decision was taken after the nutritional levels of children showed improvement in the districts where eggs and chikki were being distributed. However, activists feel that 46 days in an academic year is not enough for improving the nutrition of a child.

“This does not help with the nutrition value as such. Eggs should be provided to the children at least twice a week or every alternate day. Eggs are a very important and irreplaceable source of nutrition for children’s physical and mental health,” Nagasimha G Rao, child rights activist and director of Child Rights Trust, said.

Recently, a study conducted by the Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University also found that although foods like bananas might help with Body Mass Index in children, it does not provide the same amount of protein and nutrition as eggs. Experts have suggested that dairy products or nuts might be a better source of nutrition than bananas for vegetarian students.

Health experts say that despite eggs being the most concentrated form of protein for children, there are some vegetarian alternatives too.

“There are pulses, legumes, soybean, and dairy products like paneer that can be provided to children frequently in place of eggs. Good proteins should be provided to children for better growth and development,” said Mounika Reddy, a pediatrician.

The inclusion of eggs in mid-day meals for children has been a controversial topic in Karnataka lately. A position paper by an expert panel in Karnataka, recently drafted under National Education Policy 2020, claimed that regular consumption of eggs and meat leads to lifestyle disorders in Indians.

“… Lifestyle disorders like diabetes, early menarche, and primary infertility in India are escalating, and studies conducted across the countries suggest that animal-based foods interfere with hormonal functions in humans,” the paper said.

The ‘Position Paper on Health and Wellbeing’ received a lot of fire from parents and health experts, and was termed ‘misguided and unscientific’.