Marked decline attributed to strengthened maternal care, nutrition programmes
Mysuru district has recorded a notable reduction in the number of underweight children aged six months to six years, falling to 142 in 2025-26 from 675 three years earlier, according to district health and welfare records reported by the Times of India. The steep decline was observed across several taluks, with the highest burden previously reported from tribal hamlets on forest fringes.
Year-wise reporting shows the district had 692 underweight children in 2023-24, which declined to 275 in 2024-25 and further to 142 in 2025-26. The fall reflects sustained administration of nutrition interventions and preventive measures against common childhood infections responsible for weight loss, officials and experts said.
- Key interventions credited include improved antenatal and postnatal care, promotion of exclusive breastfeeding for six months and greater availability of nutrition kits.
- Government schemes such as Poshan Abhiyan, the midday-meal programme and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) were cited as important contributors.
- Targeted supplies—milk powder, eggs, nutrient-rich laddu and vitamin/mineral supplements—helped address acute nutritional deficits in vulnerable communities.
“Improved maternal care, stronger health infrastructure, greater awareness of breastfeeding and distribution of nutrition kits contributed to the reduction,”
The taluk-wise numbers over three years highlight substantial improvements in specific localities. Hunsur taluk reduced underweight cases to 19 from 153; Mysuru taluk and city to 23 from 115; Nanjangud to 13 from 89; and T. Narasipura to 20 from 96. HD Kote saw a fall to 10 from 64.
| Taluk | 2023-24 | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Mysuru city/taluk | 115 | 23 |
| Hunsur | 153 | 19 |
| Nanjangud | 89 | 13 |
| T. Narasipura | 96 | 20 |
| HD Kote | 64 | 10 |
| KR Nagar | — | 13 |
| Periyapatna | — | 10 |
Current district figures show Mysuru city with 23 underweight children; Nanjangud 23; T. Narasipura 20; Hunsur 19; KR Nagar 13; HD Kote 10; Mysuru rural 10 and Periyapatna 10. The Department of Women and Child Welfare, responsible for care of underweight children, has rehabilitated seven children at the Nutritional Rehabilitation Centre located in the Cheluvamba complex and has reserved 20 beds at Cheluvamba and 5 beds at the district hospital for such cases, the report said.
Health experts and programme managers attributed the reduction to a combination of supply-side strengthening and community-level behaviour change. Preventive measures to curb childhood infections, improved access to safe drinking water, deworming, and regular provision of vitamin A and micronutrient tablets were listed among effective actions. Timely antenatal check-ups and counselling for mothers on infant feeding practices were flagged as critical.
While the district-level fall is significant, local officials caution that pockets of undernutrition persist, particularly in tribal and forest-fringe habitations where access to services remains uneven. Sustaining the gains will require continued focus on outreach through Anganwadi centres, mobile health units and collaboration with panchayats, schools and community organisations to reach marginalised families.
Authorities also noted that routine monitoring and early identification of weight faltering remain essential. The rehabilitation beds at Cheluvamba and the district hospital are intended for acute support, but long-term improvement will depend on persistent community engagement and the uninterrupted delivery of nutrition and health services under central and state schemes.
According to the Times of India report, district officials and child-welfare personnel view the three-year trend as a positive outcome of integrated interventions, but emphasised continued vigilance to ensure no child is left behind in the drive to eradicate child undernutrition in Mysuru.
