Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh has witnessed a 2% rise in the number of underweight children in 2025 over the last year, whereas the number of stunted children has gone up by 1% in the same period. It shows that malnourishment among children in 0-6 years age group in the state has increased slightly over the past one year.
According to Poshan Tracker App, in March 2024, the percentage of underweight children in the state was 23. In March this year, it rose to 25%. In the same period, the percentage of stunted children went up from 40% to 41%. At the all-India level, in 2025, the percentage of underweight children was 16% and of stunted children was 36%.
Thus, the percentage of underweight kids in Madhya Pradesh was 7% higher than the national level and of stunted children, 16% higher. Even in capital Bhopal, 33% children were stunted and 18% were underweight in 2025. In the year before, the two figures were 32% and 15% respectively.
In Shivpuri, in March 2025, the percentage of stunted children was 55%, up from 49% last year. Similarly, the percentage of underweight children went up from 26% to 30% over the last one year.
In Ashoknagar district, the percentage of stunted children went up from 47% to 51% and of underweight children from 28% to 29% between March 2024 and March 2025. In Indore, in March 2025, 34% children were stunted and 19% were underweight.
It was up from 33% and 17% respectively in 2024. In Ujjain, the percentage of stunted children went up from 37% to 42% and of underweight children from 21% to 26%. In Jabalpur, too, malnourishment among children went up over the past one year – of stunted children from 39% to 44% and of underweight children from 20% to 25%.
The numbers may be rising because of better monitoring and record-keeping. Both the Central and state governments are making intensive efforts to combat malnourishment among children. We will continue to work in that direction Nirmala Bhuria, Minister, Women and Child Development
