India’s district-focused strategy to reduce childhood stunting must also address women’s wellbeing and poverty reduction, finds new study

• 71% of differences in stunting prevalence between low and high burden districts are explained by a multitude of economic, health, hygiene, and demographic factors
• Differences in women’s low body mass index (19% of the difference), women’s education (12%), children’s adequate diet (9%), assets (7%), open defecation (7%), age at marriage (7%), antenatal care (6%), and household size (5%) explain the difference in stunting between low and high burden districts
• A focus on addressing only health and nutrition services and sanitation will be inadequate to reduce inequalities and close gaps

Photo credit: Melissa Cooperman / IFPRI