According to the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) results released in 2022, Gujarat state has the second-highest percentage of underweight children under the age of five, at 39.7%. Additionally, the state ranks fourth and second-worst among major states in stunting (less height compared to age) and wasting (less weight compared to age), respectively. A recent study conducted by the Indian Institute of Public Health and Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College at Wardha analysed the phenomenon at the district level to understand changes that took place between the two rounds of NFHS surveys. The study found that the four major districts with urban populations – Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot – recorded a steeper rise in stunting, wasting, severe malnutrition, and underweight categories compared to some of the tribal districts between these periods (2015-16 and 2020-21).
The study also showed that the prevalence of anaemia rose by 17% in children aged five years and 12% in teenage girls across Gujarat in the same period. The researchers’ purpose was to provide constructive suggestions to effectively address the issue. They recommended measures including declaring anaemia and malnutrition as public health challenges, focusing on non-iron deficiency anaemia, developing nutrition intelligence union based on deep data and analytics, listing high-priority talukas, preparing sub-district action plans and targeted strategies, and predictive modelling.
However, the overall analysis revealed some positives between the two surveys, including post-delivery care and early childhood care. The study, titled ‘Nutritional Indicators for Gujarat, Its Determinants and Recommendations: A Comparative Study of National Family Health Survey-4 and National Family Health Survey-5,’ was recently published in the journal Cureus.
The comparison between urban and tribal areas shows that urban districts fared worse than tribal areas in terms of malnourishment. The researchers suggested implementing measures to fight anaemia, malnourishment, and other nutrition-related issues in Gujarat to effectively address the problem. By prioritising these measures, the state can take a significant step in the right direction toward solving this critical issue.
