Child malnutrition in Jalpaiguri
Jalpaiguri ranks 16th of 20 districts in West Bengal for child stunting, highest first, below West Bengal's 34%. It fell 2.3 points since NFHS-4.
Jalpaiguri against West Bengal and India
| Measure | Jalpaiguri | NFHS-4 | West Bengal | India |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children under 5 stunted (too short for age) | 28.9% | 31.2% | 33.8% | 35.5% |
| Children under 5 wasted (too thin for height) | 18.3% | 17.7% | 20.3% | 19.3% |
| Children under 5 severely wasted | 7.3% | 7.6% | 7.1% | 7.7% |
| Children under 5 underweight | 25.4% | 24.6% | 32.2% | 32.1% |
| Children under 5 overweight | 5.5% | 3.9% | 4.3% | 3.4% |
| Children 6-59 months anaemic | 67.4% | 71% | 69% | 67.1% |
| Women 15-49 anaemic | 71.4% | 67% | 71.4% | 57% |
| Women 15-49 underweight (BMI under 18.5) | 15.8% | 26.1% | 14.8% | 18.7% |
| Children 6-23 months with an adequate diet | 28.5% | 14.6% | 23.4% | 11.3% |
| Babies under 6 months only breastfed | 60.9% | – | 53.3% | 63.7% |
Child stunting in West Bengal's districts
- 1Uttar Dinajpur45%
- 2Maldah41%
- 3Murshidabad40%
- 4Paschim Barddhaman40%
- 5Birbhum37%
- 6Puruliya37%
- 7South Twenty Four Parganas37%
- 8Darjeeling34%
- 9Purba Barddhaman33%
- 10North Twenty Four Parganas32%
- 11Dakshin Dinajpur32%
- 12Paschim Medinipur31%
- 13Bankura30%
- 14Kolkata30%
- 15Hugli29%
- 16Jalpaiguri29%
- 17Koch Bihar29%
- 18Haora28%
- 19Nadia26%
- 20Purba Medinipur26%
Water in Jalpaiguri
Groundwater, rain and the water table shape what farms in Jalpaiguri can grow and what families can drink.
Frequently asked questions
What is the malnutrition rate in Jalpaiguri?
In NFHS-5 (2019-21), 29% of children under five in Jalpaiguri district were stunted, 18% wasted and 25% underweight. Stunting is below West Bengal's 34% and India's 36%.
Is child malnutrition falling in Jalpaiguri?
Stunting in Jalpaiguri fell from 31% in NFHS-4 (2015-16) to 29% in NFHS-5 (2019-21), 2.3 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 Jalpaiguri?
67% of children aged 6 to 59 months in Jalpaiguri 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 Jalpaiguri?
No survey publishes child nutrition below the district, so every town, village and neighbourhood in Jalpaiguri 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 West Bengal.