Nutritional Differentials in Two Demographically Distinct States in India

Anand Singh, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Arvindra Archarya, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Namita Sahoo, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

India has the highest incidence of childhood malnutrition in the world. Almost 30% babies in India are born with low birth weight and are doomed to adverse consequences. Comparison of putative factors between regions within India. During 2005-06, NFHS-III was carried out to examine the levels and determinants of child malnutrition in the country. This survey estimated the levels of child malnutrition and examined the effects of mother's nutrition, mother’s education, demographic and socioeconomic factors on the nutritional status of children & women in India. The positive dependence between wealth index and nutritional outcomes of the children in both of the state in India. Therefore child nutrition cannot be studied independently of mother’s education. The household structure & economic status all have independent effects on nutritional status. From a policy perspective, mother’s nutrition wealth and household facilities such as source of drinking water are found to be important predictors of better nutritional outcomes.