Hungry Kya?

If I tell you a lie would you believe it?

No?...Yes?... May be?... It depends???

Think about it... It depends.. Right?

If you know that its a lie on the face of it, you would not believe it. If I camouflage it enough and present it in a way that you don't realize that its a lie, you would believe what I say in all probability. Isn't it?

How something is presented, makes all the difference. As I always say... Perception matters. Would you not agree?

Lets take the Global Hunger Index(GHI) for 2009 for example. Do you know that India is ranked at 65th position for the year 2009? 65th in what you might ask. Its 65th position for percentage drop in the GHI numbers. India's hunger index has dropped from 31.7 in 1990 to 23.1 in 2009.

What is this GHI? This GHI is issued by some Institute. By looking at the name, I thought it might be a lobbyist group for GM food industry. I did some Googling and guess what!!! Based on some documents I found, it has something to do with pushing GM crops on to unsuspecting developing countries. And whats more...its based out of Washington D.C.

Now, hiding under such a fancy name, they are issuing reports that India has a GHI of 23.1. This is considered as "Alarming" based on their own classifications. How do they arrive at this nice-looking number of 23.1? They have used this fancy formula:

GHI = (PUN+CUW+CM)/3

I can visualize you guys scratching your head and thinking that you don't remember this formula, just like how you don't remember Ohm's law or the L'Hopital's Rule. Don't be scared. Its rather easy and their website explains it. Thank God for websites.

PUN = Proportion of population that is "undernourished" (in %)

CUW = Prevalence of underweight children under five (in %)

CM = proportion of children dying before the age of five (in %).

As per data released by them, for India, the numbers are as follows:

GHI = (21+43.5+7.2)/3 = 23.9

I don't know what is the logical basis for this formula. How can they give equal weights for these and do a simple average?

How can One "Under-nourished" adult = One "Under-weight" child below five = One "Infant dying before five (God forbid)". Are you able to understand this formula? I certainly can't.

They are saying 21% of Indian population are 'Undernourished". I think they must have included all the young anorexic women, who are trying to attain the magical Size Zero as under-nourished. They must have also included our metrosexuals feeding on McDiets and Pizzaiets as under-nourished in terms of the nutrients they receive. Can't quite disagree with them, I would say.

As for the underweight children below five, I am sure the number must be wrong, considering the amount of Lays and Cokes, the various health drinks they show on TV with 23+ vital nutrients and the instant noodles that our children couldn't keep their hands off. Or is this underweight because of consuming all these items? I wish someone could answer me.

How sure are you, that the Brinjal fry you had yesterday was not made of Bt Brinjal?

Do you know that Mark Twain once said " Lies, damned lies and statistics"?

I know a good statistics when I see one. Do you?

(c) Vijayaganesh Sampathkumar -2009. All Rights Reserved.