NFHS-6: Only 15.3% of children aged 6-23 months receive adequate diet
The NFHS-6 data reveals a concerning trend in child nutrition, with only 15.3% of children aged 6-23 months receiving an adequate diet, though this is an increase from 11% in NFHS-5. This indicates that many Indian toddlers lack diverse and frequent meals essential for healthy growth. The survey also shows a decline in exclusive breastfeeding among children under six months, from 63.7% in NFHS-5 to 55.8% in NFHS-6. However, there's an encouraging rise in the proportion of children aged 6-8 months receiving solid or semi-solid food alongside breast milk, from 45.9% to 59.5%. Experts emphasize the need for diverse and frequent meals to ensure proper growth and brain development in young children.
Key Points
- NFHS-6 data highlights a significant challenge in child nutrition, with only a small percentage of toddlers receiving adequate diets.
- The proportion of children aged 6-23 months receiving an adequate diet increased from 11% in NFHS-5 to 15.3% in NFHS-6.
- Exclusive breastfeeding rates for children under six months declined from 63.7% in NFHS-5 to 55.8% in NFHS-6, raising concerns among health experts.
- Despite the decline in exclusive breastfeeding, there was an improvement in the introduction of complementary feeding for children aged 6-8 months.
- Experts emphasize the need for diverse and frequent meals to ensure proper growth and brain development in young children.
Exam Facts
- NFHS-6 (2023-24) data.
- 15.3% of children aged 6-23 months receive adequate diet (up from 11% in NFHS-5).
- Exclusive breastfeeding for under six months declined from 63.7% (NFHS-5) to 55.8% (NFHS-6).
- Proportion of children aged 6-8 months receiving solid/semi-solid food alongside breast milk rose from 45.9% to 59.5%.
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