Change on previous period2023–24Nutrition
Kerala's child underweight fell to 17.8% in 2023–24, from 19.7% in 2019–21 (−1.9 points).
What happened
- 2023–24
- 17.8%
- 2019–21
- 19.7%
- Change
- −1.9%
- Change, percentage points
- −1.9 pts
Why it matters
Annual and multi-year figures move slowly. A step this size is compared with how far the same series usually moves from one period to the next, so an ordinary year does not read as news.
For child underweight, lower is better. This movement is therefore assessed as an improvement.
Historical context
Compared with the previous round, 2019–21. Survey rounds are years apart, so this is a change between rounds, not a recent movement.
The underlying data
| Period | Value | Release | Where in the document |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | 17.8% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) 2023-24: India and State/UT Fact Sheets (provisional) | NFHS-6 State/UT fact sheets, PDF p.76, "Kerala - Key Indicators", indicator 72 "Children under 5 years who are underweight (weight-for-age) (%)", column NFHS-6 (2023-24) Total |
| 2019–21 | 19.7% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) 2023-24: India and State/UT Fact Sheets (provisional) | NFHS-6 State/UT fact sheets, PDF p.76, "Kerala - Key Indicators", indicator 72 "Children under 5 years who are underweight (weight-for-age) (%)", column NFHS-5 (2019-21) Total; the publisher's restatement of NFHS-5 printed on the NFHS-6 sheet |
Source and method
Cite this
According to the India Health Observatory, Kerala's child underweight fell to 17.8% in 2023–24, from 19.7% in 2019–21 (−1.9 points). Source: International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) 2023-24: India and State/UT Fact Sheets (provisional). https://indiahealthobservatory.com/signals/child-underweight--kerala--2023-2024--period_change
See also Kerala and 17.8% in context.