Changes in socio-economic inequality in nutritional status among children in EAG states, India

OBJECTIVE: The primary purpose of this study is to examine changes in socio-economic inequality in nutritional status (stunting and underweight) among children in Empowered Action Group (EAG) states. DESIGN: The study is based on the most recent two wave's cross-sectional data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) conducted in 2005-2006 (NFHS-3) and 2015-2016 (NFHS-4). The study used height-for-age (stunting) and weight-for-age (underweight) of children as anthropometric indicators. SETTING: EAG states including Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh in India. PARTICIPANTS: The study includes a total of 11 858 (NFHS-3) and 92 630 (NFHS-4) children under 5 years of age. RESULT: The socio-economic inequality in stunting remained unchanged in all EAG states. At the same time, the inequality in underweight decreased during 2005-2016. On decomposing, the factors contributing to socio-economic inequality revealed that household wealth index, mother's education and mother's nutritional status were the largest contributors to stunting (47 %, 24 % and 8 %) and underweight (51 %, 21 % and 16 %), respectively, in 2015-2016. CONCLUSION: The study concluded the socio-economic inequality in underweight among children under 5 years of age increased over the years in EAG states in India. Altogether, household wealth index, mother's education and mother's nutritional status contributed to nearly 80 % to inequality in stunting and 90 % to inequality in underweight in 2015-2016. Hence, efforts should be made to minimise the socio-economic inequality in the nutritional status of children, particularly in EAG states in India.