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Hunger · West Bengal

Child malnutrition in Paschim Medinipur

31%of children under five stunted (NFHS-5, 2019-21)Very high

Paschim Medinipur ranks 12th of 20 districts in West Bengal for child stunting, highest first, below West Bengal's 34%. It rose 1.7 points since NFHS-4.

30%children under 5 wasted
40%children under 5 underweight
66%children 6-59 months anaemic
22%children 6-23 months with an adequate diet

Paschim Medinipur against West Bengal and India

MeasurePaschim MedinipurNFHS-4West BengalIndia
Children under 5 stunted (too short for age)31.1%29.4%33.8%35.5%
Children under 5 wasted (too thin for height)30.3%28%20.3%19.3%
Children under 5 severely wasted9.6%9.1%7.1%7.7%
Children under 5 underweight40%40.3%32.2%32.1%
Children under 5 overweight1.7%2%4.3%3.4%
Children 6-59 months anaemic66%53%69%67.1%
Women 15-49 anaemic81.5%67%71.4%57%
Women 15-49 underweight (BMI under 18.5)18.9%29.9%14.8%18.7%
Children 6-23 months with an adequate diet21.8%31.8%23.4%11.3%

Child stunting in West Bengal's districts

  1. 1Uttar Dinajpur45%
  2. 2Maldah41%
  3. 3Murshidabad40%
  4. 4Paschim Barddhaman40%
  5. 5Birbhum37%
  6. 6Puruliya37%
  7. 7South Twenty Four Parganas37%
  8. 8Darjeeling34%
  9. 9Purba Barddhaman33%
  10. 10North Twenty Four Parganas32%
  11. 11Dakshin Dinajpur32%
  12. 12Paschim Medinipur31%
  13. 13Bankura30%
  14. 14Kolkata30%
  15. 15Hugli29%
  16. 16Jalpaiguri29%
  17. 17Koch Bihar29%
  18. 18Haora28%
  19. 19Nadia26%
  20. 20Purba Medinipur26%

Water in Paschim Medinipur

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

Groundwater in Paschim MedinipurRainfall in Paschim Medinipur

Frequently asked questions

What is the malnutrition rate in Paschim Medinipur?

In NFHS-5 (2019-21), 31% of children under five in Paschim Medinipur district were stunted, 30% wasted and 40% underweight. Stunting is below West Bengal's 34% and India's 36%.

Is child malnutrition falling in Paschim Medinipur?

Stunting in Paschim Medinipur rose from 29% in NFHS-4 (2015-16) to 31% in NFHS-5 (2019-21), 1.7 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 Paschim Medinipur?

66% of children aged 6 to 59 months in Paschim Medinipur were anaemic in NFHS-5, which WHO counts as a severe public health problem. So were 82% of women aged 15 to 49.

Is there malnutrition data for my town or neighbourhood in Paschim Medinipur?

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