A groundbreaking new study has uncovered a silent health crisis among India's young women. More than four out of ten women in their reproductive years are living with a dangerous combination of anaemia, critical vitamin shortages, and early warning signs of diabetes, often without any visible symptoms or awareness.
Widespread Nutritional Deficiencies Across Body Types
The research, funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and published in the Wiley Online Library, involved 1,174 healthy, non-pregnant women aged 18 to 40 from ten major medical centres across India. The locations included Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar, AIIMS New Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh, and institutions in Kolkata, Shillong, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, and Mumbai.
The results revealed a complex nutritional burden. A striking 44.07% of participants had both abnormal body weight and anaemia. This dual burden was not confined to one body type: 27.6% of overweight women, 10.3% of obese women, and 6.1% of underweight women were all found to be anaemic. This demonstrates that nutritional problems are pervasive across the weight spectrum.
Iron depletion was particularly alarming. Nearly half (49.9%) of the women had low levels of ferritin, indicating their body's iron stores were already empty, yet many had not yet developed full-blown anaemia. This points to a massive "hidden" iron deficiency that standard blood tests might fail to catch.
Vitamin Gaps and Metabolic Red Flags
The study also highlighted severe vitamin deficiencies. 34.2% of women had low vitamin B12, essential for nerve function and energy, while a staggering 67% were deficient in vitamin D, crucial for bone health and immunity. Both deficiencies are linked to chronic fatigue, hormonal imbalances, and poor long-term health.
Perhaps most concerning were the metabolic warning signs. Researchers found that 42.9% of the women showed insulin resistance, a key precursor to type 2 diabetes. This was measured using the HOMA-IR index, which assesses how hard the body must work to manage blood sugar levels. The risk was higher in older women within the group, with those aged 33–40 having significantly greater odds of having an abnormal BMI alongside at least one micronutrient deficiency.
Intergenerational Health Consequences
Experts involved in the study are sounding the alarm about the long-term implications. The lead investigator, Dr. Mohd Ashraf Ganie of SKIMS Srinagar, along with co-investigators like Dr. Neena Malhotra of AIIMS Delhi, warn that women who appear outwardly healthy may be nutritionally depleted internally.
Dr. Rohina Bashir, a scientist at SKIMS Srinagar who worked on the project, explained the transgenerational risk. Undetected insulin resistance and micronutrient gaps—especially in vitamin B12 and folate—during pregnancy can impair fetal growth, increase the likelihood of low birth weight and stunting in children, and predispose them to obesity and diabetes later in life.
She further warned that obesity and metabolic syndrome during pregnancy elevate the risks of complications like gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. The study underscores an urgent need for early screening and stronger preconception and antenatal nutrition programs to break this cycle of poor health that can pass from one generation to the next.
With reproductive-age women forming the nutritional foundation for future generations, the researchers conclude that this troubling trend must be addressed systematically and early to safeguard the nation's long-term public health.
