Painting a worrying picture, the latest government data shows that over a third of children under five enrolled in anganwadis— childcare centers—are stunted, a condition that signals long-term nutritional deficiencies and developmental setbacks.

The findings, shared by Union Women and Child Development Minister of State Savitri Thakur in response to a Rajya Sabha query, paint an alarming status of children's health across the country.

As of the latest figures, 7.54 crore children under five years old are enrolled in anganwadis and registered on the Poshan Tracker, a digital platform launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) to monitor nutritional outcomes and ensure effective delivery of services.

Out of these children, 7.31 crore were assessed for growth parameters, revealing that 38.9 per cent are stunted, 17 per cent are underweight, and 5.2 per cent are wasted. Stunting, wasting, and being underweight are all forms of malnutrition, which indicate serious deficiencies in a child's nutrition, leading to long-term health and developmental issues.

The statistics are equally concerning for a broader age group of children aged 0–6 years. With a projected population of 16.1 crore children in this category in 2021, around 8.82 crore are enrolled in anganwadis. Growth measurements taken for 8.55 crore children in this group show that 37 per cent are stunted and 17% are underweight.

The findings indicate the enduring problem of child malnutrition in India, which is primarily linked to an imbalance in energy and nutrient intake. Malnutrition can lead to developmental delays, weakened immune systems, and increased vulnerability to diseases, thereby impeding a child's overall well-being and future potential.

The Poshan Tracker plays a crucial role in tracking and improving these outcomes, aiming to ensure that children receive the necessary nutritional support to thrive.

However, the high incidence of stunting, underweight, and wasting among India's young children indicates that significant efforts are still needed to address the root causes of malnutrition, which include poverty, lack of access to nutritious food, and insufficient healthcare resource

A child is considered stunted if their height is below the recommended level for their age. A child is considered wasted if their weight is below the recommended level for their height while a child is considered underweight if their weight is below the recommended level for their age.