Meghalaya has the highest number of stunted children in the country.
As per the recent report of NFHS-5 (2019-21), there are 46.5 per cent stunted children in the State.
It is followed by Bihar (42.9 per cent) while Assam, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have stunted children higher than the national average of 35.5 per cent.
However, as per the report, Puducherry and Sikkim have the lowest percentage of stunted children.
Further, there are 12.1 per cent of children who are wasted in Meghalaya.
The State also has 26.6 per cent children who are underweight.
As per NFHS-5 (2019-21), there are 10.8 percent women in Meghalaya between 15 and 49 years whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is below normal.
Jharkhand has the highest percentage of women, between 15 and 49 years, who have a below-normal BMI, a value derived from mass and height of a person, and an indicator of under-nutrition.
The estimated number of underweight, malnourished and severely malnourished children under 5 years of age is obtained under National Family Health Survey (NFHS) conducted by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
However, as per the recent report of NFHS-5 (2019-21), the nutrition indicators for children under five years have improved in India as compared with NFHS-4 (2015-16).
Stunting has reduced from 38.4 per cent to 35.5 per cent, Wasting has reduced from 21.0 per cent to 19.3 per cent and Underweight prevalence has reduced from 35.8 per cent to 32.1 per cent.
Further, the percentage of women (15-49 years) whose BMI is below normal has reduced from 22.9 in NFHS-4 to 18.7 in NFHS-5.
