Children living in districts with high climate-change vulnerability are about 25 % more likely to be underweight compared with peers in less vulnerable regions.
In these vulnerable districts, non-institutional deliveries are 38 % more frequent, highlighting serious gaps in maternal and neonatal health access where climate stress is greatest.
The study also reports modest elevations in child wasting and stunting in climate-vulnerable areas, suggesting climate-induced risks now contribute significantly to malnutrition, beyond socio-economic or infrastructure-related causes.
Climate Impact Linked To Higher Underweight Rates In Children
A new study finds children in Indian districts highly vulnerable to climate change are 25 % more likely to be underweight than those in less at-risk areas. Researchers warn that climate vulnerability is undermining health outcomes, including nutrition and access to maternal and child care.
Summary
Recent research published in a peer-reviewed journal reveals a worrying link between climate vulnerability and child undernutrition across India. The study, conducted by scholars at the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), analysed data from the nationwide health survey (NFHS-5) alongside district-level climate-vulnerability indexes from the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA).
The findings indicate that in districts prone to extreme weather events — such as floods, heatwaves and cyclones — children are 25 % more likely to be underweight compared with those in less vulnerable regions. In these same high-risk districts, the likelihood of non-institutional deliveries — births taking place outside health facilities — is 38 % higher, raising serious concerns over maternal and neonatal healthcare access.
Beyond underweight, the study also notes modest but significant elevations in other markers of child malnutrition: wasting (low weight-for-height) was around 6 % more likely, and stunting (low height-for-age) about 14 % more probable in high-vulnerability districts.
The researchers argue that climate vulnerability is emerging as a critical determinant of health outcomes — alongside conventional factors such as poverty, food security and access to services. They warn that with roughly 80 % of India’s population residing in climate-sensitive zones, failure to integrate climate risks into health and nutrition policy could seriously derail efforts towards achieving national and global development goals.
The findings underscore an urgent need: climate change must be recognised not just as an environmental challenge but as a health crisis — one that demands integration of climate-resilience planning within India’s public health and nutrition strategies.
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