-Down to Earth Stunting among children below five did not improve at all; child obesity increased across several states Chronic malnutrition or stunting among children below five years did not improve at all while acute undernourishment or wasting worsened in the last half-a-decade in a majority of the surveyed states and Union territories (UT), according to the latest round of National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5). Child obesity also increased in several states. The...

-The Indian Express Though overall trends do suggest an improvement in population control, use of modern contraception, reproductive and child health, immunisation and social determinants of health, a complete overhaul is needed to identify and address the multidimensional aspects of child malnutrition. Population-based surveys form the bedrock of the country’s health information systems. Use of accurate and nationally representative data can be instrumental in policy planning, programme design, health system monitoring and...

-Newsclick.in Private capital in agriculture is a death warrant for farmers, but the PM is trapped. He can either have a ‘firm leader’ image or avert this tragedy. What was intended to be a two-day protest on 26-27 November 2020 in Delhi has turned into a month-long protest on its borders. As it is turning into a nationwide protest with mass mobilisation, not only of farmers but of different classes of people,...

-Down to Earth Alcohol consumption among women aged 15 years and above highest in north-eastern states Five years since the sustainable development goals of the United Nations came into force, we ask ourselves: How is India and its states progressing towards the goals directly dealing with tobacco (SDG 3.a) and alcohol (SDG 3.5) use? These are critical goals, not only because the aspects they deal with are well evidenced in proving detrimental to...

-Down to Earth The highest percentage of children under three who were breastfed within one hour of birth was registered in Meghalaya, followed by Lakshwadeep, Kerala and Mizoram   The number of women breastfeeding their newborns within an hour declined in the last five years, according to the recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS). The women in urban regions of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli along with Bihar, Gujarat, Sikkim,...