Data Shows 34% Children Under Five Are Stunted

New government data presented in Parliament has highlighted persistent malnutrition challenges among Indian children aged below five, even as recent figures indicate gradual improvement. The information, drawn from the Poshan Tracker system, reflects nationwide measurements of young children enrolled in Anganwadi centres.

Current Status of Child Nutrition

According to the latest data, over 6.44 crore children were assessed for height and weight. Of these, 33.54 per cent were found to be stunted and 14.41 per cent underweight, while 5.03 per cent were identified as wasted. These figures provide a real-time snapshot of nutritional outcomes under community-based monitoring systems.

Comparison with Earlier Surveys

When compared with the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–21), the new numbers indicate a decline in malnutrition prevalence. NFHS-5 had reported stunting at 35.5 per cent, underweight at 32.1 per cent, and wasting at 19.3 per cent among children under five. Officials noted that recent trends suggest improvements driven by enhanced service delivery and behaviour-change interventions.

Impact of Poshan Abhiyaan Interventions

A World Bank survey conducted in 2021 across 11 high-burden states showed that women who engaged with the Poshan Abhiyaan platform—through home visits, nutrition messages, and community events—demonstrated better nutrition practices. The outreach achieved message penetration of over 80 per cent, and exclusive breastfeeding rates reached 81 per cent among respondents.

Exam Oriented Facts

• 33.54% of children under five are stunted; 14.41% are underweight.
• Poshan Tracker was launched in March 2021 for real-time monitoring.
• NFHS-5 had earlier recorded stunting at 35.5% and underweight at 32.1%.
• Mission Poshan 2.0 subsumes Anganwadi services and Poshan Abhiyaan.

Policy Framework and Monitoring Mechanisms

Under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, the government has consolidated key nutrition programmes to strengthen intervention delivery. The Poshan Tracker continues to act as a governance tool for identifying stunting, wasting, and underweight cases, enabling targeted action to reduce malnutrition across the country.