NFHS-6 pointed to persistent gaps in breastfeeding and child nutrition, raising questions about whether nutrition outcomes are keeping pace with healthcare access.
Published Jun 01, 2026 | 9:11 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 01, 2026 | 9:11 AM
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Woman spoon feeding her little girl. (iStock)
Synopsis: Despite strong gains in maternal and child healthcare, NFHS-6 shows Tamil Nadu continues to face challenges in breastfeeding and child nutrition. Experts say improving feeding practices and diet quality will be key to translating healthcare successes into better nutrition outcomes.
The latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) revealed that Tamil Nadu has continued to strengthen key maternal and child health indicators. Data show almost all births in Tamil Nadu now occur in institutions, with high antenatal care coverage and strong immunisation rates.
However, the survey also pointed to persistent gaps in breastfeeding and child nutrition, raising questions about whether nutrition outcomes are keeping pace with healthcare access.
According to NFHS-6 (2023-24), 99.7 percent of births in the state took place in institutions, while 87.6 percentof mothers received at least four antenatal care visits. About 90 percent of children aged 12-23 months were fully vaccinated.
However, only 54.8 percent of children were breastfed within an hour of birth, 55.6 percent of infants under six months were exclusively breastfed, and just 20.6 percent of children aged six to 23 months received an adequate diet.
Also Read: NFHS-6 factsheet drops anaemia, cancer, HIV indicators
The breastfeeding gap remains
The breastfeeding indicators stand out against the backdrop of Tamil Nadu’s otherwise strong maternal healthcare performance. Despite almost all births occurring in health facilities, nearly half of newborns are not breastfed within the first hour after birth.
Dr Shobana, Consultant Paediatrician and Lactation Specialist at MGM Malar Hospital in Chennai, said the figures suggest that breastfeeding support requires greater attention even after mothers access institutional care.
“Getting mothers into hospitals has been a major public health success. The next step is ensuring that every mother receives the support and confidence needed to initiate breastfeeding early and continue it exclusively for six months,” she told South First.
She noted that breastfeeding outcomes are influenced by several factors beyond delivery itself, including postnatal counselling, family support and maternal confidence.
The NFHS-6 findings, she added, indicate that breastfeeding needs to be treated as an integral component of newborn care rather than a separate intervention.
Nutrition concerns persist beyond infancy
The survey found that only 20.6 percent of children aged 6–23 months received an adequate diet, though the figure improved from 15.8 percent recorded in NFHS-5. At the same time, wasting (acute malnutrition) among children under five increased from 14.6 percent to 17.4 percent.
Vandhana Gowthaman, Clinical Dietitian at SRM Prime Hospitals, said the data highlight challenges that emerge after the exclusive breastfeeding period.
“The first two years of life are crucial for growth and development. Adequate nutrition is not only about the quantity of food but also about dietary diversity and age-appropriate feeding practices,” she told South First.
According to her, many families are aware of the importance of feeding children regularly, but gaps often remain in the variety of foods provided.
She said improving access to protein-rich foods, fruits and vegetables, along with better nutrition awareness, could help address some of these concerns.
Mixed picture on child growth
While the proportion of stunted children under five declined from 25 percent in NFHS-5 to 20.7 percent, wasting increased during the same period. Severe wasting, however, fell from 5.5 percent to 4.9 percent.
Experts said the contrasting trends deserve attention. Dr Shobana observed that improvements in stunting indicate progress in long-term child health and nutrition, but the rise in wasting suggests that a section of children continues to face nutritional vulnerability.
She said the findings reinforce the need to monitor children beyond infancy and ensure that nutrition interventions continue through the early years.
Children who are vaccinated and protected from infectious diseases also require consistent nutritional support to achieve healthy growth, she added.
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Beyond healthcare access
The latest survey suggests that Tamil Nadu has made significant progress in ensuring access to maternal and child healthcare services.
Immunisation coverage has improved, with rotavirus vaccine coverage among children aged 12-23 months rising from 66.4 percent in NFHS-5 to 87.4 percent in NFHS-6.
However, nutrition experts argued that future gains may depend less on expanding healthcare access and more on improving feeding practices and diet quality.
Gowthaman said the findings indicate that nutrition must now become a central focus of child health efforts.
“Healthcare services and nutrition work hand in hand. As Tamil Nadu continues to perform well in maternal and child healthcare, strengthening infant feeding practices and improving the quality of children’s diets can help translate those gains into better nutrition outcomes,” she said.
The NFHS-6 findings suggest that while Tamil Nadu has consolidated many of its public health achievements, child nutrition remains an area where sustained efforts will be needed in the years ahead.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
