By - Moa Jamir
The latest data released by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD), in response to a written Unstarred Question in the Rajya Sabha on July 23 and supplemented by the Ministry’s Poshan Tracker portal, has brought to light the nuanced and increasingly complex picture of child malnutrition in Nagaland. Covering over 50,000 children aged 0–5 years in June 2025, the data reveals both encouraging trends and growing concerns.
On a positive note, Nagaland continues to perform better than the national average on some key indicators of undernutrition. Stunting, which reflects chronic malnutrition and is defined by low height-for-age, stood at 28.91% in the state, compared to the national average of 37.07%. This represents a measurable improvement from the 32.7% stunting rate reported in the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) conducted during 2019–2021, and is roughly on par with the earlier NFHS-4 rate of 28.6%.
Similarly, the prevalence of underweight children, which is a composite measure of both stunting and wasting (low weight-for-height), dropped significantly from 26.9% in NFHS-5 to 7.00% in the June 2025 data. Wasting itself was recorded at 6.08% in Nagaland, marginally higher than the national average of 5.46%, but still lower than the 7.9% figure recorded in NFHS-5. These figures indicate that, in terms of combating undernutrition, the state is moving in a promising direction.
Yet, what demands urgent attention is the sharp increase in the proportion of overweight children, with Nagaland reporting 17.00%, almost three times the national average of 6.00%. Overweight in children under five is defined by excessive weight-for-height, often linked to poor diet diversity, overconsumption of calorie-dense foods, and increasingly sedentary lifestyles. It is particularly troubling that some of the districts with the highest levels of stunting—such as Longleng (58%) and Tuensang (47%)—also report some of the highest overweight rates (45% and 28%, respectively), indicating a ‘double burden’ of malnutrition.
Such dual trends raise critical questions about diet quality, food access, and public health awareness. Moreover, they point to a nutrition transition taking place even in rural and economically underdeveloped regions, where traditional forms of undernutrition are now being accompanied by early signs of obesity and lifestyle-related health issues.
The district of Phek stands out as a positive outlier. It recorded the lowest figures across all indicators: 14% stunted, 3% wasted, 3% underweight, and only 4% overweight. These are not only better than the state average but also substantially below national figures. Preliminary observations suggest that this could be linked to the more regular functioning of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) in the district.
Out of Nagaland’s 3,980 registered AWCs, only 700 were operational for 25 days or more during June, suggesting significant inconsistencies in service delivery. A total of 2,576 were open for at least 15 days, while just 1,834 operated for more than 21 days. Such irregularity could hampers key services such as growth monitoring, nutrition supplementation, immunisation support, and early childhood education. The correlation between Phek’s improved nutritional outcomes and higher AWC functionality highlights the urgent need to ensure consistent and quality service delivery through these centres.
It is also important to recognise that the data captured by the Poshan Tracker is predominantly based on children who access services at AWCs centres that mostly cater to economically weaker and rural populations. Many better-off families, particularly in urban areas, often bypass these centres entirely, relying instead on private healthcare or early learning centres. This makes the findings even more alarming, as they reflect conditions among the state’s more vulnerable segments.
Therefore, the implications are twofold. First, the persistence of stunting and the rise in overweight prevalence among less-privileged children highlight urgent gaps in both nutrition and public awareness. Second, the effectiveness of AWCs, still the backbone of India’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), is directly linked to outcomes. When these centres operate consistently, they can play a transformative role.
To address these issues holistically, Nagaland must strengthen and monitor the regular operation of AWCs across all districts, ensure frontline workers are trained and equipped, and roll out community-based awareness campaigns on balanced nutrition and healthy lifestyles. Targeted interventions focusing on food quality, diversity, and early education about health and hygiene will be essential.
Combating the dual burden of malnutrition in Nagaland is not only a matter of improving health statistics but safeguarding the future of its children and ensuring that no child, regardless of socioeconomic background, is left behind.
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