A Comparative Study of National Family Health Survey-4 and National Family Health Survey-5 of Nutritional Indicators in Chhattisgarh

Abstract

Globally, public health issues related to malnutrition exist. One of the countries grappling with challenges in combating anemia and malnutrition is India, including the state of Chhattisgarh. The National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) data show that the advancements made in the National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) were reversed in NFHS-5. Despite having several programs and policies in place, Chhattisgarh has not yet utilized all of its potential to demonstrate exponential reductions in anemia and malnutrition. This study highlights probable factors and inter-district variations to provide an overview of the nutritional condition of districts in Chhattisgarh compared to NFHS-4. Children under five who are severely wasted, stunted, or experiencing both conditions exhibit a lower prevalence. An immediate warning indication was the rise in anemia prevalence across all age categories. In Chhattisgarh, when comparing NFHS-5 to NFHS-4, the study identified a reduced frequency of direct determinants and an increased coverage of nutrition-specific treatments. The state of Chhattisgarh has seen a significant improvement in underlying factors, including the number of homes with power and drinking water quality. It also describes the shortcomings and advancements in the inter-district variations among the coverage factors. Instead of focusing on raising the nutritional indicators for Chhattisgarh, this study also includes initiatives made by states that have fared better in terms of those metrics.