Stunting declines to 34.7 pc in 2017-18 from 38.4 pc in 2015-16
Malnutrition (stunting of children) in India has reduced to 34.7 per cent in 2017-18, around 2 percentage point decline per annum, largely driven by government initiatives, a senior government official said.
As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 (2015-16) data, stunting of children in the age group of 0-6 years declined to 38.4 per cent in 2015-16 from 48 per cent in 2004-05.
"A survey conducted by Unicef and the Health Ministry shows that the rate of stunting of children in India has reduced to 34.7 per cent in 2017-18 from 38.4 per cent in 2015-16," the official told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
Stunting, or low height for age, is caused by long-term insufficient nutrient-intake and frequent infections.
"Decadal decline (2004-05 to 2015-16) in stunting of children in the age group of 0-6 years was 10 percentage point, that is 1 percentage point per annum.
"But according to a new study by the Unicef and the Health Ministry, the decline in stunting from 2015-16 to ...