Skip to content
Hunger · Bihar

Child malnutrition in Madhubani

43%of children under five stunted (NFHS-5, 2019-21)Very high

Madhubani ranks 17th of 38 districts in Bihar for child stunting, highest first, level with Bihar's 43%. It fell 8.5 points since NFHS-4.

17%children under 5 wasted
36%children under 5 underweight
71%children 6-59 months anaemic
12%children 6-23 months with an adequate diet

Madhubani against Bihar and India

MeasureMadhubaniNFHS-4BiharIndia
Children under 5 stunted (too short for age)43.3%51.8%42.9%35.5%
Children under 5 wasted (too thin for height)17.1%19.1%22.9%19.3%
Children under 5 severely wasted6%6.3%8.8%7.7%
Children under 5 underweight36%45.4%41%32.1%
Children under 5 overweight2%2.1%2.4%3.4%
Children 6-59 months anaemic71%62.9%69.4%67.1%
Women 15-49 anaemic61.4%61.1%63.5%57%
Women 15-49 underweight (BMI under 18.5)25.1%32%25.6%18.7%
Children 6-23 months with an adequate diet12%9.7%10.9%11.3%
Babies under 6 months only breastfed74.6%63.2%58.9%63.7%

Child stunting in Bihar's districts

  1. 1Sitamarhi54%
  2. 2Sheikhpura54%
  3. 3Araria50%
  4. 4Nawada49%
  5. 5Purba Champaran49%
  6. 6Saharsa48%
  7. 7Gaya47%
  8. 8Banka47%
  9. 9Madhepura46%
  10. 10Arwal46%
  11. 11Darbhanga45%
  12. 12Kaimur (Bhabua)44%
  13. 13Samastipur44%
  14. 14Katihar44%
  15. 15Pashchim Champaran44%
  16. 16Purnia44%
  17. 17Madhubani43%
  18. 18Jamui43%
  19. 19Lakhisarai43%
  20. 20Muzaffarpur43%
  21. 21Nalanda43%
  22. 22Supaul42%
  23. 23Jehanabad41%
  24. 24Aurangabad41%
  25. 25Bhojpur41%
  26. 26Bhagalpur40%
  27. 27Rohtas40%
  28. 28Saran40%
  29. 29Buxar40%
  30. 30Kishanganj39%
  31. 31Vaishali38%
  32. 32Begusarai38%
  33. 33Siwan37%
  34. 34Munger36%
  35. 35Khagaria35%
  36. 36Patna35%
  37. 37Sheohar34%
  38. 38Gopalganj34%

Water in Madhubani

Groundwater, rain and the water table shape what farms in Madhubani can grow and what families can drink.

Groundwater in MadhubaniRainfall in MadhubaniWater table in Madhubani

Frequently asked questions

What is the malnutrition rate in Madhubani?

In NFHS-5 (2019-21), 43% of children under five in Madhubani district were stunted, 17% wasted and 36% underweight. Stunting is level with Bihar's 43% and India's 36%.

Is child malnutrition falling in Madhubani?

Stunting in Madhubani fell from 52% in NFHS-4 (2015-16) to 43% in NFHS-5 (2019-21), 8.5 points. District estimates come from a few hundred children each, so a change of a few points can be chance.

How many children are anaemic in Madhubani?

71% of children aged 6 to 59 months in Madhubani were anaemic in NFHS-5, which WHO counts as a severe public health problem. So were 61% of women aged 15 to 49.

Is there malnutrition data for my town or neighbourhood in Madhubani?

No survey publishes child nutrition below the district, so every town, village and neighbourhood in Madhubani shares these figures. The local anganwadi keeps growth records for the children it serves.

Source: National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 2019-21, IIPS and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, district factsheet, tabulated by pratapvardhan/NFHS-5 (CC BY 4.0). All of Bihar.