Analyzing the Prevalence and Patterns of Malnutrition among Children under Five Years of Age in India and Madhya Pradesh

Child malnutrition remains a critical public health challenge in India, despite significant economic growth and health interventions over the past few decades. The undernutrition indicators contains stunting, wasting, and underweight that are major elements to describe the health circumstance in children. Another major indicator of undernutrition is anaemia which is a micronutrient deficiency. Stunting and underweight prevalence in children under five reduced gradually from 1998-99 to 2019-21. Prevalence of stunting declined 30.3 per cent and 35.20 per cent and prevalence of underweight has also reduced 37.6 per cent and 35 per cent in India and Madhya Pradesh respectively. At national level, the decadal change rate in the prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight was 7.04 ↓), 0.18(↓) and 6.93 (↓), respectively, whereas in Madhya Pradesh, the decadal change rate in the prevalence of these indicators were 8.82 (↓), 2.82 (↓) and 6.36 (↓) respectively. The decadal change in the prevalence of anaemia among children of age 6-59 months shows a decline at national level whereas trend was opposite at Madhya Pradesh level. The various indicators of under nutrition were significantly associated with child feeding practices and maternal health and education.