Sixty-eight per cent of under-5 child mortality in India is associated with malnutrition and over one-third of under-5 children in the country are chronically undernourished or stunted. An insight into the child nutrition situation and determinants, revealed by the fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) 2019-20 for 22 States and Union Territories, is of extreme concern, say experts.
Child undernutrition is broadly determined by underlying and immediate factors. Data reveals that the underlying determinants that are most crucial for preventing chronic child undernutrition or stunting are women’s education, height not less than 145 cms and right age of conception as well as improved antenatal care services and water-sanitation-hygiene (WASH) situation.
The report, authored by Sheila C. Vir and Shoba Suri, finds a reversal in the progress made on some of the key nutrition indicators in the country. These include an increased trend in chronic undernutrition in 13 States, as well as a rising trend in the percentage of overweight under-5 children in every State with the exception of one UT.
Malnutrition is known to affect the cognitive development and future earning potential of children. To ensure reduction in chronic child undernutrition (stunting) and prevent adverse impact on growth and lifelong development of a child, the report calls for serious efforts to intensify measures for meaningful multi-sectoral convergence at the family level of under-twos for improving child feeding practices coupled with maternal nutrition care as well as measures for food and nutrition security and WASH services, and involving communities for appropriate complementary feeding practices.