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Hunger · Bihar

Child malnutrition in Nalanda

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

Nalanda ranks 21st of 38 districts in Bihar for child stunting, highest first, level with Bihar's 43%. It fell 11.5 points since NFHS-4.

28%children under 5 wasted
47%children under 5 underweight
80%children 6-59 months anaemic
9.6%children 6-23 months with an adequate diet

Nalanda against Bihar and India

MeasureNalandaNFHS-4BiharIndia
Children under 5 stunted (too short for age)42.6%54.1%42.9%35.5%
Children under 5 wasted (too thin for height)27.8%24.3%22.9%19.3%
Children under 5 severely wasted12.1%6.9%8.8%7.7%
Children under 5 underweight46.7%50.2%41%32.1%
Children under 5 overweight1.8%0.5%2.4%3.4%
Children 6-59 months anaemic80.3%59%69.4%67.1%
Women 15-49 anaemic71%61.6%63.5%57%
Women 15-49 underweight (BMI under 18.5)23.8%30.7%25.6%18.7%
Children 6-23 months with an adequate diet9.6%7.1%10.9%11.3%
Babies under 6 months only breastfed67.2%36.7%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 Nalanda

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

Frequently asked questions

What is the malnutrition rate in Nalanda?

In NFHS-5 (2019-21), 43% of children under five in Nalanda district were stunted, 28% wasted and 47% underweight. Stunting is level with Bihar's 43% and India's 36%.

Is child malnutrition falling in Nalanda?

Stunting in Nalanda fell from 54% in NFHS-4 (2015-16) to 43% in NFHS-5 (2019-21), 11.5 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 Nalanda?

80% of children aged 6 to 59 months in Nalanda were anaemic in NFHS-5, which WHO counts as a severe public health problem. So were 71% of women aged 15 to 49.

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

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