New Delhi, April 19: Over 40 per cent of children under five years of age in India are underweight, according to the latest National Family Health Survey.
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, the Ministry of Women and Child Development termed the problem of malnutrition as multi-dimensional and inter-generational in nature.
The determinants for malnutrition include household food insecurity, illiteracy and lack of awareness, especially in women, access to health services, availability of safe drinking water, sanitation and environmental conditions and purchasing power.
A total of 42.5 per cent of children under five years of age in India are underweight, the survey said.
–Agencies