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Hunger · Bihar

Child malnutrition in Muzaffarpur

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

Muzaffarpur ranks 20th of 38 districts in Bihar for child stunting, highest first, level with Bihar's 43%. It fell 5.3 points since NFHS-4.

20%children under 5 wasted
35%children under 5 underweight
65%children 6-59 months anaemic
17%children 6-23 months with an adequate diet

Muzaffarpur against Bihar and India

MeasureMuzaffarpurNFHS-4BiharIndia
Children under 5 stunted (too short for age)42.6%47.9%42.9%35.5%
Children under 5 wasted (too thin for height)19.9%17.5%22.9%19.3%
Children under 5 severely wasted8.1%5.6%8.8%7.7%
Children under 5 underweight34.7%42.3%41%32.1%
Children under 5 overweight1.9%0.4%2.4%3.4%
Children 6-59 months anaemic64.6%58.5%69.4%67.1%
Women 15-49 anaemic58.9%52.4%63.5%57%
Women 15-49 underweight (BMI under 18.5)25.2%33%25.6%18.7%
Children 6-23 months with an adequate diet17.2%7.8%10.9%11.3%
Babies under 6 months only breastfed71.9%78.9%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 Muzaffarpur

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

Groundwater in MuzaffarpurRainfall in MuzaffarpurWater table in Muzaffarpur

Frequently asked questions

What is the malnutrition rate in Muzaffarpur?

In NFHS-5 (2019-21), 43% of children under five in Muzaffarpur district were stunted, 20% wasted and 35% underweight. Stunting is level with Bihar's 43% and India's 36%.

Is child malnutrition falling in Muzaffarpur?

Stunting in Muzaffarpur fell from 48% in NFHS-4 (2015-16) to 43% in NFHS-5 (2019-21), 5.3 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 Muzaffarpur?

65% of children aged 6 to 59 months in Muzaffarpur were anaemic in NFHS-5, which WHO counts as a severe public health problem. So were 59% of women aged 15 to 49.

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

No survey publishes child nutrition below the district, so every town, village and neighbourhood in Muzaffarpur 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.