The government has set a target of reducing malnutrition in all categories to 15 percent by 2030. However, the situation of malnutrition is still alarming due to the fact that the investment made by the government to reduce poverty and malnutrition does not get the proper return.

The government has set a target of reducing stunting to 15 percent, obesity to 4 percent, and underweight to 10 percent by 2030. But there is enough doubt that the government will fulfill such a goal.

Not only in hilly districts, Malnutrition is the same in Madhesh too. For example, the number of children suffering from malnutrition in Parsa district of Madhesh province seems to be increasing every year. The data of last five years of nutritional rehabilitation center in Birganj shows the same.

In 2020, 142 malnourished children were admitted to the center for treatment. Of which 131 were severely malnourished. In 2021, 136 were admitted to the center. Of which 114 were severely malnourished. In 2022, 190 were admitted to the center. Of which 157 were severely malnourished. In 2023, out of 196 admitted to the center, 158 were severely malnourished. The number of admissions seems to increase further in 2024 . 175 were admitted to the center in 2024 . Of which 157 were severely malnourished.

There is no different picture from Parsa, Kapilvastu too . According to District Health Office Kapilvastu, now there are 455 malnourished children in the age group of 6 months to 59 months in the district. Mohammad Irfan, the focal person of the health office, said that treatment is being done by identifying malnourished children.

Health Office, Local Level and Helen Keller International Life Transformation Project jointly conducted by Health Office, Local Level and Helen Keller International Life Transformation Project jointly conducted in West Nawalparasi 1 thousand 670 children were found to be malnourished. 254 people with moderate malnutrition were found in Palhinandan rural municipality and 45 people with severe malnutrition were found.

Chief of District Health Office Nawalparasi Agand Bahadur Shahi said that such a situation was found while accounting the nutritional status of children from 6 to 59 months. He said that due to not being able to feed the required diet and quantity, even children from educated and financially strong families are suffering from malnutrition.

The statement of Sarita Yadav of Birgunj-based nutritional rehabilitation center is not too different from Shahi's. She said that parents lack knowledge and awareness about nutrition. Stating that the problem of malnutrition among children in Terai Madhesh is becoming serious due to the tendency of parents not to pay attention to the problem of malnutrition in children, she said, "Most of the children have become malnourished due to the tendency of parents to give their children more ready-made food such as noodles, biscuits, mum, chowmin".

The Nepal Demographic Survey currently shows 25 percent of children aged 6 to 59 months to be stunted, 8 percent to be stunted, 19 percent to be underweight, 43 percent to be anemic. And the stakeholders are saying that the three levels of government should advance to reduce it. 

Malnutrition has the greatest impact on a person's height. The data of Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey has also mentioned that the biggest impact of malnutrition is pudpan. According to these statistics, 35 percent of children in the Far West Province were stunted in 2016, and in 2019, this number increased by 6 percent to 41 percent. Similarly, pudkopan was found in 4 percent of children in Madhesh province. Both of these figures indicate that malnutrition is increasing in the Far West and that the amount of malnutrition is widespread in Madhesh. 

Also read related news published in Ekantipur about malnutrition: