NFHS-6: Vaccination, institutional births improve but nutrition gaps remain

The latest survey shows declines in stunting and wasting, rising vaccination coverage and record institutional births, but only 15.3 per cent of young children receive an adequate diet

  India has made significant progress in improving child and maternal health, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6). Fewer children are stunted, vaccination rates have increased and institutional deliveries have reached record levels. 

 

However, the survey also highlights a critical gap in child nutrition: only 15.3 per cent of children aged six to 23 months receive an adequate diet despite years of public health interventions.

 

Child malnutrition indicators show improvement

 

The latest survey shows a decline across several indicators of malnutrition among children under five years of age. According to NFHS-6:

 

• Stunting declined from 35.5 per cent in NFHS-5 to 29.3 per cent
• Severe wasting fell from 7.7 per cent to 5.2 per cent
• Underweight prevalence reduced marginally from 32.1 per cent to 31.8 per cent
• Wasting stood at 19.3 per cent nationally

 

Stunting refers to low height for age and is generally associated with long-term undernutrition, while wasting refers to low weight for height and is often linked to recent or acute nutritional deprivation. Underweight measures low weight for age and reflects both chronic and acute forms of undernutrition.

 

 

Nutrition challenge persists despite health gains

 

Despite improvements in broader nutrition indicators, the survey points to a significant challenge in feeding practices among young children.

 

Only 15.3 per cent of children aged six to 23 months receive an adequate diet, according to NFHS-6.

 

This means that nearly 85 per cent of children in this age group are not receiving the recommended combination of food groups and feeding frequency needed for healthy growth and development.

 

The findings suggest that while improvements have been made in reducing malnutrition, access to nutritionally diverse diets remains limited for many young children.

 

Vaccination coverage continues to improve

 

The survey recorded further gains in childhood immunisation coverage across the country.

 

Among children aged 12 to 23 months, full vaccination coverage increased from 83.8 per cent in NFHS-5 to 87.1 per cent in NFHS-6.

 

The survey also recorded significant gains in coverage of specific vaccines. Rotavirus vaccination coverage more than doubled, rising from 36.4 per cent in NFHS-5 to 85.4 per cent in NFHS-6. Coverage of the second dose of measles-containing vaccines also increased substantially, from 58.6 per cent to 71.8 per cent.

 

9 in 10 deliveries now happen in health facilities

 

Institutional deliveries have reached their highest level since the survey began tracking the indicator.

 

According to NFHS-6, 90.6 per cent of births in India now take place in health facilities, compared with 88.6 per cent in NFHS-5.

 

The rise indicates that more women are accessing healthcare services during childbirth, which can help reduce risks for both mothers and newborns.

 

The survey also found that nearly all births were attended by skilled health personnel, reflecting continued improvements in maternal healthcare access across the country.

 

Mixed trends in breastfeeding practices

 

Early initiation of breastfeeding improved considerably. The proportion of children who were breastfed within one hour of birth increased from 41.8 per cent in NFHS-5 to 50.1 per cent in NFHS-6.

 

Early breastfeeding is important because it provides newborns with nutrient-rich colostrum and helps strengthen immunity during the first days of life.

 

However, exclusive breastfeeding among infants under six months declined from 63.7 per cent to 55.8 per cent during the same period.

 

Exclusive breastfeeding refers to feeding infants only breast milk, without any additional food or liquids except prescribed medicines or supplements.

 

The findings underline that while access to health services continues to improve, ensuring that every child receives adequate nutrition during the first two years of life remains a key challenge for India's public health system.     

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This report is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.