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Exhibiting the Changes in Nutritional Status of Children in India: An Empirical Insight from the Human Opportunity Index

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Abstract

Enhancing the nutritional status is essential for fostering human resource development and attaining sustainable development. The objective of this study is to analyse the temporal change in the opportunity to access adequate nutritional outcomes (Normal height for age, Normal weight for age, and Normal weight for height) for children under the age of five in India. The analysis of the study is based on three sets (2005–06, 2015–16 and 2019–21) of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data, at both the national and sub-national levels. It used the Human Opportunity Index (HOI), D-index, Shapley decomposition of D-index and time decomposition of HOI to examine temporal change in the opportunity to access adequate nutritional outcomes. At the national level, HOI increased in all three nutritional opportunities from 2005–06 to 2019–21, owing to the increase in coverage rate and decline in D-index. On the contrary, a sub-national analysis for the same period finds HOI to increase in all major states only in the case of Normal height for age and Normal weight for age. Whereas, states such as Punjab, West Bengal, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat saw negative change in HOI for normal weight for height. Estimates from Shapley decomposition of D-index indicated that mother's education, wealth, social group, and access to toilet had major contribution to the unequal distribution of opportunities across all survey years. Further, the time decomposition of HOI revealed that the equalisation effect, which is the heart of the principle of equal opportunity, did not play a prominent role in expanding access to opportunities. Even a negative equalization effect is observed in Jammu & Kashmir, some states of the northeast, and even the rich states like Karnataka and Maharashtra. The study suggests a multi-pronged approach to address challenges, including increasing coverage and decreasing inequity in accessibility. Possible solutions include augmenting spending, minimizing leakages, and guaranteeing the delivery of services to the final recipients. A nuanced balance between "equality of outcomes" and "equality of opportunity" is needed.

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Fig. 1

Source: https://www.globalhungerindex.org/, GHI (2023)

Fig. 2

Source: NFHS 3 (2005–06), NFHS 4 (2015–16), NFHS 5 (2019–21)

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Data Availability

Dataset is publicly available and can be accessed from the DHS (Demographic and Health Surveys) program USAID website https://www.dhsprogram.com/Countries/Country-Main.cfm?ctry_id=573.

Notes

  1. Stunting, also known as chronic undernutrition, is a major indicator of consistent undernourishment and more often than not, it leads to delayed growth and development. Generally, acute food shortage or disease leads to wasting, and it is an indicator of recent and severe weight loss. A combination of stunting and wasting is called being underweight, and it is an indicator of a generally poor nutritional status.

  2. STATE CODES: CN “CHANDIGARH” |MN “MANIPUR” | MZ “MIZORAM” | SK “SIKKIM” | PUD “PUDUCHERRY” | HR “HARYANA” | ARP “ARUNANCHAL PRADESH” | DL “DELHI” | PB “PUNJAB”| MG “MEGHALAYA”| UK “UTTARAKHAND”| TN “TAMIL NADU”| RJ “RAJASTHAN”| UP “UTTAR PRADESH”| BH “BIHAR”| AS “ASSAM”| WB “WEST BENGAL”| JH “JHARKHAND”| OD “ODISHA”| CH “CHHATISGARH”| MP “MADHYA PRADESH”| GJ “GUJARAT”| DNH&DD “DADRA NAGAR HAVELI AND DAMAN & DIU”| MH “MAHARASHTRA”| AP “ANDHRA PRADESH”| KN “KARNATAKA”| LK “LAKSHADWEEP”| TL “TELANGANA”| LD “LADAKH”| TR “TRIPURA”| NG “NAGALAND”| HP “HIMACHAL PRADESH”| JK “JAMMU AND KASHMIR”| ANI “ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS”| GA “GOA”| KR “KERALA”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics and Finance, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, India

    Rahul Kumar, Balakrushna Padhi & Debi Prasad Bal

  2. Social Protection Specialist, UNICEF, Cox’s Bazar Office, Bangladesh

    Soumen Ray

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Appendix

Appendix

Tables 11 and 12

Table 11 Coverage of nutritional opportunities in the major Indian states
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Table 12 D-index of nutritional opportunities in the major Indian states
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Kumar, R., Padhi, B., Bal, D.P. et al. Exhibiting the Changes in Nutritional Status of Children in India: An Empirical Insight from the Human Opportunity Index. Child Ind Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-024-10111-y

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