Growth of over 37% children under 5 in 15 Indian states is stunted--NFHS 2015-2016

The states that fared worst are Bihar and Madhya Pradesh 48 and 42 % stunted children respectively.

The National Family Health Survey 2015-2016 was recently released and it has revealed some rather shocking facts and figures about maternal and child health in the country.

Stunted growth and underweight children under age 5

Even though child nutrition has improved over the past decade, every one in three children is stunted and one in five is underweight. The survey is still in its first phase and has covered over 13 states and two Union Territories. It points out that over 37% of children under the age of 5 in these states are stunted which is only five points less than the last decade. The states that fared worst are Bihar and Madhya Pradesh 48 and 42 % stunted children respectively.

The same goes for underweight children under the age five. The number has reduced by 5% with Bihar and Madhya Pradesh faring worse. (Read: 5 Indian foods that can help prevent malnutrition)

Anaemia

The survey revealed that more than half the children in 10 out of the 15 states and more than half the women in 11 states were anaemic. The percentage of anaemic children only fell by 5 % over the last decade. Out of all the states surveyed, Haryana had the highest proportion with 72% of anaemic children and 63 % anaemic women. (Read: 4 ways anemia can be treated)

Overnutrition

Apart from the rising anaemia levels, the survey also points out the sad situation of over nutrition. It was found that 3 in 10 women are overweight or obese in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu.

The states surveyed included Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and two Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Puducherry. (Read: Government launches the safe motherhood programme in Sundarbans)

The survey measures a broad range of parameters like anaemia, HIV prevalence, blood pressure, blood glucose, height and weight measurements among women aged 15-49, men aged 15-54. Only, anaemia, height and weight is measured in young children aged 6 to 71 months.

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