India

A significant study reveals over 40% of young Indian women are unknowingly battling anaemia, vitamin deficiencies, and early diabetes signs. This silent nutritional decline, affecting women across all body types, poses serious risks to fertility, pregnancy, and future generations. Experts urge early screening and improved nutrition to break this cycle of poor health. Representative image NEW DELHI: More than four in ten young Indian women are living with a hidden mix of anaemia, vitamin deficiencies and early signs of diabetes — often without realising it — a major new study has found. Researchers warn this silent nutritional decline among women in their reproductive years could have long-term consequences for families and future generations.Published in the Wiley Online Library and funded by ICMR, the study assessed 1,174 healthy, non-pregnant women aged 18 to 40 across 10 centres in India: Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (Srinagar), AIIMS New Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh, AIIMS Raipur, IPGMER Kolkata, NEIGRIHMS Shillong, OMC Hyderabad, MHRT Hyderabad, Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram and NIRRH Mumbai.IPL Auction 2026IPL Auction 2026: KKR, CSK in spotlight as mini-auction begins shortlyIPL 2026 Auction live streaming: Date, time, purse left, where to watchIPL Auction 2026: Full list of retained and released playersDifferently-abled women are more likely to have poor diets: ResearchThe findings were striking. 44.07% of women had both abnormal body weight and anaemia — a combination that can affect fertility, pregnancy and long-term health. Overweight women with anaemia formed 27.6% of the group, while 10.3% of obese women and 6.1% of underweight women were also anaemic, showing that nutritional problems cut across all body types.Iron depletion was widespread. Nearly 49.9% of the women had low ferritin — meaning their iron stores were already depleted — but many were not yet anaemic, indicating a large burden of “hidden” deficiency that routine tests may miss. Vitamin shortages added to the concern: 34.2% had low vitamin B12 and 67% had vitamin D deficiency, both linked to fatigue, hormonal imbalance and poor bone health.Metabolic warning signs were also common. Insulin resistance, an early indicator of diabetes, was found in 42.9% of participants. It was measured using the HOMA-IR index, which shows how hard the body must work to keep blood sugar normal. Women aged 33–40 had significantly higher odds of having abnormal BMI along with at least one micronutrient deficiency.The study was led by Dr Mohd Ashraf Ganie of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, with co-investigators Dr P.K. Jabbar (GMC Thiruvananthapuram), Dr Neena Malhotra (AIIMS Delhi) and senior clinicians from all participating centres. Experts say the findings reveal a worrying reality: women who appear healthy from the outside may be nutritionally depleted inside, while many with normal weight are already showing metabolic strain. Dr Rohina Bashir, scientist at SKIMS Srinagar, who worked in the project, warned that undetected insulin resistance and micronutrient gaps — especially in vitamin B12 and folate — can impair fetal growth, increase low birth weight and stunting, and predispose children to obesity and diabetes later in life. She said obesity and metabolic syndrome during pregnancy further raise risks of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, underscoring the need for early screening and stronger preconception and antenatal \nutrition to break this intergenerational cycle of poor health.With reproductive-age women forming the nutritional base for the next generation, the study warns this trend must be tackled early and systematically.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSonia Gandhi Targets Modi Govt On ASHA, Anganwadi Workers In Rajya SabhaNational Herald Case: Court Declines To Act On ED Chargesheet, Congress Claims Truth Has PrevailedEverything Fine, Says Shashi Tharoor After Skipping Congress Rally Amid Growing Speculation of RiftDelhi-Agra Expressway Crash: Multiple Buses Catch Fire, 4 Dead, 25 InjuredPM Modi Praises Jordan’s Fight Against Terrorism As India And Jordan Strengthen Strategic RelationsIndia Slams Pakistan As ‘Global Epicentre Of Terror’, Vows To Counter Pak-Sponsored Attacks At UNNIA Names Pakistani Handler Sajid Jatt In Pahalgam Terror Attack ChargesheetIndian Army Displays Turkish Yiiha Drone Used By Pakistan During Operation SindoorPM Modi Arrives In Jordan, Receives Warm Welcome By Indian Diaspora In AmmanUS Starts Mandatory Social Media Checks For H-1B Visas Leaving Indian Professionals Most Exposed123PhotostoriesThings To Avoid On Your Birthday According To Your Birth DateLost, tired, angry: Scenes of confusion as Bengaluru (KIA) airport enforces new cab pickup zonesChennai’s Anna Nagar parking revamp to add 2,100 marked bays, ease congestion and curb roadside chaosYour Love Language Based On Your Birth NumberRucha Hasabnis to Somendra Solanki: Hindi television stars who retired too soon7 words to fuel your child’s inner motivation WS in parenting5 ways to consume 30 gms of nuts daily and their benefitsFrom Manoj Bharathiraja to AVM Saravanan, remembering Tamil Cinema stars who left us in 2025What changed for Akshaye Khanna over the years and how 2025 brought him back in limelight?‘Bha Bha Ba’, ‘Sahakutumbaanaam’, ‘Missterious’ and other South India films to catch as they hit the big screens THIS weekend123Hot Picksilia TopuriaCorona RemediesJetBlue flight VenezuelaGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingJosh AllenAuston MatthewsVanessa BryantJalen Hurts Wife Net WorthBukayo Saka and Tolami Benson Net WorthConnor McDavidVenkatesh iyerAdolis GarciaSOF ICO resultFortnite Bleach Characters

Vamsikrishna4 months ago03 mins mins

$A significant study reveals over 40% of young Indian women are unknowingly battling anaemia, vitamin deficiencies, and early diabetes signs. This silent nutritional decline, affecting women across all body types, poses serious risks to fertility, pregnancy, and future generations. Experts urge early screening and improved nutrition to break this cycle of poor health. Representative image NEW DELHI: More than four in ten young Indian women are living with a hidden mix of anaemia, vitamin deficiencies and early signs of diabetes — often without realising it — a major new study has found. Researchers warn this silent nutritional decline among women in their reproductive years could have long-term consequences for families and future generations.Published in the Wiley Online Library and funded by ICMR, the study assessed 1,174 healthy, non-pregnant women aged 18 to 40 across 10 centres in India: Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (Srinagar), AIIMS New Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh, AIIMS Raipur, IPGMER Kolkata, NEIGRIHMS Shillong, OMC Hyderabad, MHRT Hyderabad, Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram and NIRRH Mumbai.IPL Auction 2026IPL Auction 2026: KKR, CSK in spotlight as mini-auction begins shortlyIPL 2026 Auction live streaming: Date, time, purse left, where to watchIPL Auction 2026: Full list of retained and released playersDifferently-abled women are more likely to have poor diets: ResearchThe findings were striking. 44.07% of women had both abnormal body weight and anaemia — a combination that can affect fertility, pregnancy and long-term health. Overweight women with anaemia formed 27.6% of the group, while 10.3% of obese women and 6.1% of underweight women were also anaemic, showing that nutritional problems cut across all body types.Iron depletion was widespread. Nearly 49.9% of the women had low ferritin — meaning their iron stores were already depleted — but many were not yet anaemic, indicating a large burden of “hidden” deficiency that routine tests may miss. Vitamin shortages added to the concern: 34.2% had low vitamin B12 and 67% had vitamin D deficiency, both linked to fatigue, hormonal imbalance and poor bone health.Metabolic warning signs were also common. Insulin resistance, an early indicator of diabetes, was found in 42.9% of participants. It was measured using the HOMA-IR index, which shows how hard the body must work to keep blood sugar normal. Women aged 33–40 had significantly higher odds of having abnormal BMI along with at least one micronutrient deficiency.The study was led by Dr Mohd Ashraf Ganie of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, with co-investigators Dr P.K. Jabbar (GMC Thiruvananthapuram), Dr Neena Malhotra (AIIMS Delhi) and senior clinicians from all participating centres. Experts say the findings reveal a worrying reality: women who appear healthy from the outside may be nutritionally depleted inside, while many with normal weight are already showing metabolic strain. Dr Rohina Bashir, scientist at SKIMS Srinagar, who worked in the project, warned that undetected insulin resistance and micronutrient gaps — especially in vitamin B12 and folate — can impair fetal growth, increase low birth weight and stunting, and predispose children to obesity and diabetes later in life. She said obesity and metabolic syndrome during pregnancy further raise risks of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, underscoring the need for early screening and stronger preconception and antenatal \nutrition to break this intergenerational cycle of poor health.With reproductive-age women forming the nutritional base for the next generation, the study warns this trend must be tackled early and systematically.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSonia Gandhi Targets Modi Govt On ASHA, Anganwadi Workers In Rajya SabhaNational Herald Case: Court Declines To Act On ED Chargesheet, Congress Claims Truth Has PrevailedEverything Fine, Says Shashi Tharoor After Skipping Congress Rally Amid Growing Speculation of RiftDelhi-Agra Expressway Crash: Multiple Buses Catch Fire, 4 Dead, 25 InjuredPM Modi Praises Jordan’s Fight Against Terrorism As India And Jordan Strengthen Strategic RelationsIndia Slams Pakistan As ‘Global Epicentre Of Terror’, Vows To Counter Pak-Sponsored Attacks At UNNIA Names Pakistani Handler Sajid Jatt In Pahalgam Terror Attack ChargesheetIndian Army Displays Turkish Yiiha Drone Used By Pakistan During Operation SindoorPM Modi Arrives In Jordan, Receives Warm Welcome By Indian Diaspora In AmmanUS Starts Mandatory Social Media Checks For H-1B Visas Leaving Indian Professionals Most Exposed123PhotostoriesThings To Avoid On Your Birthday According To Your Birth DateLost, tired, angry: Scenes of confusion as Bengaluru (KIA) airport enforces new cab pickup zonesChennai’s Anna Nagar parking revamp to add 2,100 marked bays, ease congestion and curb roadside chaosYour Love Language Based On Your Birth NumberRucha Hasabnis to Somendra Solanki: Hindi television stars who retired too soon7 words to fuel your child’s inner motivation WS in parenting5 ways to consume 30 gms of nuts daily and their benefitsFrom Manoj Bharathiraja to AVM Saravanan, remembering Tamil Cinema stars who left us in 2025What changed for Akshaye Khanna over the years and how 2025 brought him back in limelight?‘Bha Bha Ba’, ‘Sahakutumbaanaam’, ‘Missterious’ and other South India films to catch as they hit the big screens THIS weekend123Hot Picksilia TopuriaCorona RemediesJetBlue flight VenezuelaGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingJosh AllenAuston MatthewsVanessa BryantJalen Hurts Wife Net WorthBukayo Saka and Tolami Benson Net WorthConnor McDavidVenkatesh iyerAdolis GarciaSOF ICO resultFortnite Bleach Characters$

Hidden health crisis: Four in ten young women face malnutrition mix, study finds

NEW DELHI: More than four in ten young Indian women are living with a hidden mix of anaemia, vitamin deficiencies and early signs of diabetes — often without realising it — a major new study has found. Researchers warn this silent nutritional decline among women in their reproductive years could have long-term consequences for families and future generations.Published in the Wiley Online Library and funded by ICMR, the study assessed 1,174 healthy, non-pregnant women aged 18 to 40 across 10 centres in India: Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (Srinagar), AIIMS New Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh, AIIMS Raipur, IPGMER Kolkata, NEIGRIHMS Shillong, OMC Hyderabad, MHRT Hyderabad, Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram and NIRRH Mumbai.

Differently-abled women are more likely to have poor diets: Research

The findings were striking. 44.07% of women had both abnormal body weight and anaemia — a combination that can affect fertility, pregnancy and long-term health. Overweight women with anaemia formed 27.6% of the group, while 10.3% of obese women and 6.1% of underweight women were also anaemic, showing that nutritional problems cut across all body types.Iron depletion was widespread. Nearly 49.9% of the women had low ferritin — meaning their iron stores were already depleted — but many were not yet anaemic, indicating a large burden of “hidden” deficiency that routine tests may miss. Vitamin shortages added to the concern: 34.2% had low vitamin B12 and 67% had vitamin D deficiency, both linked to fatigue, hormonal imbalance and poor bone health.Metabolic warning signs were also common. Insulin resistance, an early indicator of diabetes, was found in 42.9% of participants. It was measured using the HOMA-IR index, which shows how hard the body must work to keep blood sugar normal. Women aged 33–40 had significantly higher odds of having abnormal BMI along with at least one micronutrient deficiency.The study was led by Dr Mohd Ashraf Ganie of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, with co-investigators Dr P.K. Jabbar (GMC Thiruvananthapuram), Dr Neena Malhotra (AIIMS Delhi) and senior clinicians from all participating centres. Experts say the findings reveal a worrying reality: women who appear healthy from the outside may be nutritionally depleted inside, while many with normal weight are already showing metabolic strain. Dr Rohina Bashir, scientist at SKIMS Srinagar, who worked in the project, warned that undetected insulin resistance and micronutrient gaps — especially in vitamin B12 and folate — can impair fetal growth, increase low birth weight and stunting, and predispose children to obesity and diabetes later in life. She said obesity and metabolic syndrome during pregnancy further raise risks of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, underscoring the need for early screening and stronger preconception and antenatal \nutrition to break this intergenerational cycle of poor health.With reproductive-age women forming the nutritional base for the next generation, the study warns this trend must be tackled early and systematically.

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