July 01, 2024
Overview:
This OHT co-authored study looked at how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the health of children under five in India, specifically focusing on malnutrition indicators including stunting, wasting, and underweight status. The disruptions caused by the pandemic to food, health, and economic systems may have had adverse effects on child health, but research on these effects is limited.
The Question:
How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect the nutritional health of young children in India, especially in terms of height, weight, and rates of stunting, wasting, and underweight status?
The findings:
Children surveyed after the pandemic began in 2020 had lower height and weight measurements compared to those surveyed before the pandemic. Children in 2020 had higher rates of stunting, underweight, and wasting, with the most significant declines seen among children from the poorest households. In 2021, some health indicators began to improve, suggesting a partial recovery, though weight-related indicators did not fully return to pre-pandemic levels. The study highlights the need to strengthen health and food systems to better withstand future crises and the urgent need to end child malnutrition.
Read the article in Nature’s Communication Medicine here.
