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. 2023 Oct;90(10):982-987.
doi: 10.1007/s12098-022-04143-x. Epub 2022 Jun 17.

Greater Reduction in Stunting Than Underweight and Wasting in Indian Under-Five Children: A Comparison of Growth Indicators from 4 National Family Health Surveys

Khadilkar Anuradha  1   2 , Gondhalekar Ketan  3 , Khadilkar Vaman  3   4 , Ekbote Veena  3
Affiliations

Greater Reduction in Stunting Than Underweight and Wasting in Indian Under-Five Children: A Comparison of Growth Indicators from 4 National Family Health Surveys

Khadilkar Anuradha et al. Indian J Pediatr. 2023 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: To assess change in nutritional status in Indian under-five children from four rounds of national surveys (round 1 to 4).

Methods: National Family Health Survey data from 4 rounds (1992-2016) were analyzed. Height and weight for age (HAZ, WAZ), and weight for height (WHZ) z scores were calculated. Children under -2 z score were classified as malnourished by HAZ, WAZ and WHZ.

Results: A greater reduction in stunting (from 54 to 38%, p < 0.05) than in underweight (from 44 to 34%, p < 0.05) and wasting (from 19 to 20%, p > 0.1) status over the period of 4 NFHS rounds was observed from 1992 to 2016. In line with this, combination of improved height for age (-2.1 ± 1.8 to -1.5 ± 1.7) but relatively less improved weight for age (-1.8 ± 1.4 to -1.5 ± 1.2), the change in wasting status was either nil or meagre (-0.8 ± 1.4 to -0.9 ± 1.4), (p < 0.05 for all). The percentage of children malnourished by all 3 indicators together reduced from 9 to 6% (p < 0.05). At the 4th NFHS round, higher percentage of boys (8%) than girls (6%) and rural (7%) than urban (5%) children were malnourished by all 3 indicators (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Greater reduction in stunting than underweight and wasting was observed over the period of 4 rounds. There is a need for more focused efforts to combat malnutrition in rural children and boys.

Keywords: Indian; Malnutrition; NFHS; Undernutrition.

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