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Hunger · Nepal

Child malnutrition in Terai

25%of children under five stunted (2022 survey)High

Terai ranks 6th of 10 parts of Nepal for child stunting, close to Nepal's 25%.

10%children under 5 wasted; Nepal 7.7%
22%children under 5 underweight; Nepal 19%
49%children 6-59 months anaemic; Nepal 43%

Child stunting across Nepal

The same 2022 survey, every part it reports.

  1. 1Mountain42%
  2. 2Karnali province36%
  3. 3Madhesh province29%
  4. 4Sudurpashchim province28%
  5. 5Lumbini province25%
  6. 6Terai25%
  7. 7Hill22%
  8. 8Koshi province20%
  9. 9Gandaki province20%
  10. 10Bagmati province18%

Frequently asked questions

What is the child malnutrition rate in Terai?

In Nepal's 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, 25% of children under five in Terai were stunted (too short for their age), 10% wasted and 22% underweight.

Is malnutrition in Terai worse than in the rest of Nepal?

Terai ranks 6th of 10 for stunting in the survey, highest first, close to Nepal's 25%.

How many children are anaemic in Terai?

49% of children aged 6 to 59 months in Terai had anaemia in 2022, above Nepal's 43%; WHO counts 40% or more as a severe public health problem.

Is there data for cities and towns in Terai?

The survey reports Nepal by region, not by city, so a town or neighbourhood in Terai shares these figures. Local clinics and nutrition programmes keep their own records.

Source: Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022 (NP2022DHS), via The DHS Program, STATcompiler. Survey estimates for small regions carry wide margins; read differences of a few points as similar.

Hunger in Nepal as a whole

Undernourishment, food insecurity, the Global Hunger Index and the UN's latest estimates for the country.

Hunger in Nepal