Prevalence, Distribution, and Determinants of Child Undernutrition in India: A Study with Focus on Aspirational Districts of Assam

Abstract

Background: This thesis attempts to contribute to achieving SDG 2.2, which aims to address malnutrition across different life stages and the closely aligned national targets of child undernutrition in India. There is a need to study the scale and distribution of total undernutrition prevalence in India to understand the magnitude of the problem and monitor progress over time. Existing studies have primarily focused on traditional indicators, and there is also a significant research gap in understanding child undernutrition in Assam comprehensively. An underexplored yet critical dimension in the existing literature is examining nutrition interventions from a systems perspective. Understanding the interactions and relationships between frontline workers, the community, and other stakeholders is particularly important as these dynamics significantly influence the effectiveness of interventions.