Notwithstanding the impressive economic growth record in the recent past, India continues to have high rates of malnutrition, especially among women and children.

This paper examines two interrelated questions; What is the extent of gender gap in adult malnutrition in India and whether such gender gap is specific to India alone? These questions analyzing the National Family Health Survey (2005-06) unit-level data.

While it is laudable that the Indian government has made the effort to initiate a holistic reproductive health programme, its failure to address issues of sexuality that arise in this context is puzzling.