Child Height in India: Facts and Interpretations from the NFHS-4, 2015-16

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Child Development
• Anthropometry

Background:

• Child height-for-age is a key indicator of nutritional status and overall well-being.
• India faces a significant child height deficit, with children ranking among the shortest globally.
• Socioeconomic factors and inequalities have historically impacted child growth in India.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in child height-for-age in India using National Family Health Survey-4 data.
• To assess the magnitude of change in child height-for-age between 2005 and 2015.
• To identify persistent factors contributing to child height deficits in India.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of child height-for-age data from the National Family Health Survey-4.
• Statistical comparison of height-for-age standard deviations between 2005 and 2015.
• Examination of regional, sex, and caste disparities in child height outcomes.

Main Results:

• Average child height-for-age increased by approximately 0.4 standard deviations from 2005 to 2015.
• This increase is considered modest relative to the overall height deficit and economic progress.
• Child height in 2015 still reflects established patterns of regional, sex, and caste disadvantage.

Conclusions:

• Despite a slight improvement, child height in India remains a significant public health concern.
• The limited progress suggests that underlying factors contributing to poor child height have not substantially improved.
• Addressing deep-rooted inequalities is crucial for improving child growth outcomes in India.