National Family Health Survey - Key Findings of the Latest Report

May 30, 2026

Why in the News?

The Union Health Ministry has released the National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6) findings, showing significant progress in maternal and child health alongside a sharp rise in obesity and diabetes among Indian adults.

What’s in Today’s Article?

About the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)

The NFHS is a large-scale, multi-round household survey conducted across India to provide reliable data on population, health, nutrition, and family welfare indicators.
It is one of the most comprehensive sources of health data in the country and plays a crucial role in shaping public health policies.

Background and Institutional Framework

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)
Nodal Agency: International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, conducts the survey on behalf of the MoHFW.
First Round: Conducted in 1992-93
Latest Round: NFHS-6, conducted in 2023-24, is the first survey after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coverage and Methodology

NFHS-6 covered ~6.79 lakh households across 715 districts in all States and Union Territories, except Manipur.
It collects data on indicators such as:

Key Findings of the NFHS-6

Maternal and Child Health: The survey recorded significant progress in maternal and child health indicators:
- Institutional Deliveries
  - Institutional deliveries rose to 90.6% from 88.6% in NFHS-5 (2019-21).
  - Reflects sustained expansion of public healthcare and schemes like Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA).
- Caesarean Section Deliveries

C-section deliveries rose sharply to 27.2% from 21.5%.
- In private healthcare facilities, the rate jumped to 54.1% from 47.4%.
- In public health facilities, it rose to 16.9% from 14.3%.
- In urban areas, the rate stands at 40%, far exceeding the WHO optimal threshold of 10-15%.
Antenatal Care
- 95.9% of pregnant women received antenatal care.
  - 76.2% received care in the first trimester (up from 70%).
  - Mothers receiving at least four antenatal visits rose from 58.5% to 65.2%.
Maternal Nutrition
- Mothers consuming iron-folic acid (IFA) supplements for 100+ days rose from 44.1% to 54.9%.
  - Those consuming IFA supplements for 180+ days rose from 26% to 37.8%.

Child Nutrition and Health
- Improvements in Child Nutrition
  - Stunting among children under 5 declined from 35.5% to 29.3%.
  - Severe wasting dropped from 7.7% to 5.2%.
  - Underweight children declined marginally from 32.1% to 31.8%
- Child Health
  - Acute respiratory infection symptoms fell from 2.8% to 1.9%.
  - Severe diarrhoea prevalence dropped to 0.5%.
- Breastfeeding
  - 95.6% of infants under six months were being breastfed during the survey period.
- Vaccination Coverage
  - Full vaccination coverage among children aged 12-23 months rose from 83.8% to 87.1%.
  - 95.6% of children received most vaccinations through public health facilities.
  - Rotavirus vaccination coverage rose dramatically from 36.4% to 85.4%.
  - Second dose of measles-containing vaccine coverage increased from 58.6% to 71.8%.
Fertility and Contraception

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) held steady at 2.0, just below the replacement threshold of 2.1.
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) rose from 66.7% to 69.1%.

Menstrual Hygiene
- Use of hygienic methods of menstrual protection among women aged 15-24 years rose from 77.6% to 79.2%.

Rising Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases

The NFHS-6 has flagged a concerning rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and lifestyle-related risks, marking a significant shift in India's health landscape.
Sharp Rise in Obesity
- Women
  - The proportion of women aged 15-49 who were overweight or obese rose from 24% to 30.7%.
  - Urban areas: 42.8% of women are overweight or obese.
  - Rural areas: 25.5% of women are overweight or obese.
- Men
  - The proportion of men aged 15-49 who were overweight or obese rose from 22.9% to 27.3%.
  - Urban areas: 36.3% of men are overweight or obese.
  - Rural areas: 23% of men are overweight or obese.
Rising Diabetes Prevalence
- Men
  - The proportion of men with high blood sugar (>140 mg/dl) or taking medication rose from 15.6% to 20.9%.
  - Urban areas: 23.9% of men affected.
  - Rural areas: 19.7% of men affected.
- Women
  - The proportion of women with high blood sugar rose from 13.5% to 17.8%.
  - Urban areas: 21.9% of women affected.
  - Rural areas: 16.2% of women affected.

Significance and Implications

Progress Areas
- Strengthening of public healthcare systems and maternal health programmes.
- Improved vaccination coverage indicates the success of Mission Indradhanush and the Universal Immunisation Programme.
- Better antenatal care reflects effective implementation of JSY, JSSK, and PMSMA.
- Declining stunting and wasting show the impact of POSHAN Abhiyaan.
Areas of Concern
- Excessive C-section deliveries, especially in private facilities, indicate potential over-medicalisation and the need for stricter regulation.
- Rising obesity and diabetes signal a public health crisis requiring urgent intervention.
- Urban-rural disparities in lifestyle diseases highlight changing food habits and sedentary lifestyles.
- India's dual burden of malnutrition, i.e. persistent undernutrition among children (stunting, wasting, underweight) and rising overnutrition (obesity) among adults. This requires integrated nutrition strategies.