Indian babies are being born heavier than ever, a sign of better-educated, richer and more aware mothers and better healthcare.
Only 18% of live births over five years (2010-15) had low birth weight (less than 2.5 kg) – an important indicator of early exposure to childhood morbidity, mortality – down from 22% a decade ago, according to new national health data.
The highest percentage of babies with low birth weights was reported from the national capital territory of Delhi, according to the final report of the National Family Health Survey, 2015-16 (NFHS-4), released on 12 January 2018.
Children who weigh less than 2.5 kilograms at birth are considered to have a higher-than-average risk of early childhood death.NFHS-4 report