Comprehension : Comprehension

Q 363 / 466

UPSC CSE Prelims 2013

Malnutrition most commonly occurs between the ages of six months and two years. This happens despite the child’s food requirements being less than that of an older child. Malnutrition is often attributed to poverty, but it has been found that even in households where adults eat adequate quantities of food, more than fifty per cent of children-under-five do not consume enough food. The child’s dependence on someone else to feed him/her is primarily responsible for the malnutrition. Very often the mother is working and the responsibility of feeding the young child is left to an older sibling. It is therefore crucial to increase awareness regarding the child’s food needs and how to satisfy them.

According to the author, poverty is not the main cause of malnutrition, but the fact that.

  1. taking care of younger ones is not a priority for working mothers.
  2. awareness of nutritional needs is not propagated by the public health authorities.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

EXPLANATION

Correct Option (d)

The passage explicitly states that poverty is not the main cause of malnutrition. Instead, it attributes malnutrition primarily to the child's dependence on others for feeding. The options provided misinterpret or overgeneralize the author's nuanced observations.

Incorrect Options:

  • Statement 1: The passage notes that when mothers are working, the responsibility of feeding young children is often left to older siblings, which can lead to inadequate food intake. However, this observation describes a practical challenge in feeding arrangements and does not imply that "taking care of younger ones is not a priority for working mothers." The passage does not make a judgment on the priorities of working mothers.
  • Statement 2: The passage concludes by emphasizing the importance of increasing awareness regarding a child's food needs and how to satisfy them. This is a general call for improved public understanding. It does not state or imply that "awareness of nutritional needs is not propagated by the public health authorities." The author does not attribute blame to public health authorities for a lack of propagation.

Both statements introduce interpretations that are not directly supported or implied by the text of the passage. The author's argument focuses on the practical aspects of feeding responsibility and the need for general awareness, rather than assigning blame to specific groups or institutions.