(a) The status of malnutrition (stunting, wasting, and underweight) in the country amongst children under 5 years and women (15-49 years) is provided by the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) conducted periodically by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW). As per the report of NFHS-5 (2019-21), the nutrition indicators for children under 5 years have improved as compared with NFHS-4 (2015-16). Stunting, Wasting and Underweight has reduced from 38.4% to 35.5%, 21.0% to 19.3% and 35.8% to 32.1% respectively. Further the prevalence of malnutrition among women aged 15-49 years has decreased from 22.9 (NFHS 4) to 18.7 (NFHS 5).
(b) As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS 5), 19.3% children under 5 years are malnourished, whereas, about 7.7% children fall in severely malnourished category.
(c) The State/UT wise prevalence of Stunting, Wasting and Underweight among children under 5 years as per NFHS 5 survey is at Annexure I.
(d) The State/UT having the highest and lowest prevalence of Stunting, Wasting and Underweight among children under 5 years of age is at Annexure II.
(e) The Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition and is implementing several schemes like Anganwadi Services, Scheme for Adolescent Girls and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) under the Umbrella Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme as direct targeted interventions to address the problem of malnutrition in the country. Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition are treated at the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centers established by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
POSHAN Abhiyaan launched on 8th March 2018, aims to reduce malnutrition in the country in a phased manner, through a lifecycle approach, by adopting a synergised and result oriented approach.
Mission Poshan 2.0, an integrated nutrition support programme has been announced in budget 2021-2022 for all States/UTs. It seeks to strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach and outcomes with focus on developing practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity to disease and malnutrition. Further, Guidelines were issued for transparency and accountability in delivery of supplementary nutrition and to track nutritional outcomes on 13.01.2021.
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Annexure I
State/UT wise prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight among children under five years of age as per National Family Health Survey
(NFHS 5)
S. No. Name of State/UT Indicators
Stunting (%) Wasting (%) Underweight (%)
INDIA 35.5 19.3 32.1
1 Andaman & Nicobar Islands 22.5 16 23.7
2 Andhra Pradesh 31.2 16.1 29.6
3 Arunachal Pradesh 28 13.1 15.4
4 Assam 35.3 21.7 32.8
5 Bihar 42.9 22.9 41
6 Chandigarh 25.3 8.4 20.6
7 Chhattisgarh 34.6 18.9 31.3
8 Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu 39.4 21.6 38.7
9 Delhi 30.9 11.2 21.8
10 Goa 25.8 19.1 24
11 Gujarat 39 25.1 39.7
12 Haryana 27.5 11.5 21.5
13 Himachal Pradesh 30.8 17.4 25.5
14 Jammu & Kashmir 26.9 19 21
15 Jharkhand 39.6 22.4 39.4
16 Karnataka 35.4 19.5 32.9
17 Kerala 23.4 15.8 19.7
18 Lakshadweep 32 17.4 25.8
19 Ladakh 30.5 17.5 20.4
20 Madhya Pradesh 35.7 19 33
21 Maharashtra 35.2 25.6 36.1
22 Manipur 23.4 9.9 13.3
23 Meghalaya 46.5 12.1 26.6
24 Mizoram 28.9 9.8 12.7
25 Nagaland 32.7 19.1 26.9
26 Orissa 31 18.1 29.7
27 Puducherry 20 12.4 15.3
28 Punjab 24.5 10.6 16.9
29 Rajasthan 31.8 16.8 27.6
30 Sikkim 22.3 13.7 13.1
31 Tamil Nadu 25 14.6 22
32 Telangana 33.1 21.7 31.8
33 Tripura 32.3 18.2 25.6
34 Uttar Pradesh 39.7 17.3 32.1
35 Uttarakhand 27 13.2 21
36 West Bengal 33.8 20.3 32.2
Annexure II
Top 10 & Bottom 10States/UTs in terms of Stunting, Wasting and Underweight based on NFHS-5 (2019-21)
Stunting
Top 10 Bottom 10
States/UTs NFHS-5 States/UTs NFHS-5
Puducherry 20 Meghalaya 46.5
Sikkim 22.3 Bihar 42.9
Andaman & Nicobar Islands 22.5 Uttar Pradesh 39.7
Manipur 23.4 Jharkhand 39.6
Kerala 23.4 Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu 39.4
Punjab 24.5 Gujarat 39
Tamil Nadu 25 Madhya Pradesh 35.7
Chandigarh 25.3 Karnataka 35.4
Goa 25.8 Assam 35.3
Jammu & Kashmir 26.9 Maharashtra 35.2
Wasting
Top 10 Bottom 10
States/UTs NFHS-5 States/UTs NFHS-5
Chandigarh 8.4 Maharashtra 25.6
Mizoram 9.8 Gujarat 25.1
Manipur 9.9 Bihar 22.9
Punjab 10.6 Jharkhand 22.4
Delhi 11.2 Assam 21.7
Haryana 11.5 Telangana 21.7
Meghalaya 12.1 Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu 21.6
Puducherry 12.4 West Bengal 20.3
Arunachal Pradesh 13.1 Karnataka 19.5
Uttarakhand 13.2 Nagaland 19.1
Underweight
Top 10 Bottom 10
States/UTs NFHS-5 States/UTs NFHS-5
Mizoram 12.7 Bihar 41
Sikkim 13.1 Gujarat 39.7
Manipur 13.3 Jharkhand 39.4
Puducherry 15.3 Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu 38.7
Arunachal Pradesh 15.4 Maharashtra 36.1
Punjab 16.9 Madhya Pradesh 33
Kerala 19.7 Karnataka 32.9
Ladakh 20.4 Assam 32.8
Chandigarh 20.6 West Bengal 32.2
Jammu & Kashmir 21 Uttar Pradesh 32.1
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