CHILDHOOD UNDERNUTRITION
6.2 Radha Ghildiyal, Mukesh Agrawal
Undernutrition refers to a range of pathological conditions arising from the coincidental lack in varying proportions of proteins and calories.
Children are more vulnerable to undernutrition due to relatively higher caloric and protein requirements for growth and physical activity. Prevalence: While rarely a presenting illness by itself, undernutrition is an underlying problem in over half of morbidity and mortality in under-five Indian children.Epidemiologically, the prevalence of undernutrition is generally assessed and reported in under-five children on the basis of WHO criteria (Table 5.11). Recent NFHS-V data (2020-21) suggests that on all India basis:
• Overall prevalence of underweight in under-five children is 32.1%.
• Chronic undernutrition, i.e. stunting is more common (35.5%) than acute malnutrition, i.e. wasting, (19.3%).
• While the prevalence of underweight, wasting and stunting has marginally declined in recent years, severe wasting continues to be as common, if not more, as in NFHS-IV (2015-16), i.e. 7.7% vs 7.5%.
• Prevalence of undernutrition is much higher in girls, low socioeconomic status, rural children and in underdeveloped BIMARU states, e.g. Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
6.1.1