Undernutrition status among tribal children of India—a systematic review & meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compile and analyze available evidence to estimate the pooled prevalence of undernutrition (underweight, stunting, and wasting) among tribal children in India. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was done using PubMed and Google Scholar and other web-based searches to find studies reporting the prevalence of undernutrition (underweight, stunting, and wasting) among tribal children of India. Out of 1606 identified studies, 58 met the eligibility criteria. Meta-analysis was performed using the inverse variance method, and the random effect model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence. The heterogeneity across studies was assessed using the I2 statistic. RESULTS: The meta-analysis revealed that the overall pooled prevalence of underweight among tribal children was 43.78% (95% CI: 38.80%-48.83%). The pooled prevalence of stunting and wasting was 43.16% (95% CI: 39.10%-47.26%) and 29.58% (95% CI: 25.59%-33.73%). The significant heterogeneity observed across studies was likely due to variations in study design, geographic location, and measurement methods. CONCLUSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis highlight the alarmingly high burden of undernutrition among tribal children of India, with nearly half of the population being underweight and stunted and a substantial proportion suffering from wasting. These findings highlight the pressing need for tailored public health interventions that tackle the specific challenges encountered by tribal communities, including improving healthcare access, addressing poverty, and overcoming geographical barriers. Targeted interventions focusing on nutrition supplementation, health service accessibility, and socio-economic support are urgently recommended to reduce undernutrition in tribal children.