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Level and determinants of Malnutrition among Primary school-aged children in India: A National Representative Cross-Sectional Study

Dr. Anita Pal, The INCLEN Trust International
Madhusudan J.V., Central University of Hyderabad
Jeetendra Yadav, National Institute of Medical Statistics (ICMR)

The aim of the study to identify the level of malnutrition and its possible risk factors among primary school-aged children (aged 5-9 years) in India. The present study utilized the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) which was the largest micronutrient survey ever implemented globally and the first-ever nationally representative large-scale nutrition survey of children and adolescents in India, conducted under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India. The overall prevalence rates of stunting, underweight, thinness and overweight were 21.86 percent, 35.16 percent, 23.3 percent, and 3.78 percent among school-aged children respectively. It was varied by the state in India. Stunted and underweight were significantly associated with schooling status, mother’s age, mother’s education, wealth quintile, place of residence, and region. Whereas overweight was significantly higher among educated mothers, the richest quintile, and urban areas. It concluded that it is a matter of great concern India is moving towards a double burden of malnutrition among school-aged children. Government should be much needed to the strengthening of existing nutritional program, with emphasis on malnourished and high-risk children and might consider children up to age 15 and not only younger than 5 years.

Keywords: Children and youth, Health and morbidity, Demographic and social surveys, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

See extended abstract.

  Presented in Session P6.