Chhattisgarh has emerged as the best-performing state in India for exclusive breastfeeding, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) 2023-24, even as the country records a worrying decline in breastfeeding rates among infants. The survey found that 75.8 per cent of infants below six months of age in Chhattisgarh are exclusively breastfed, the highest rate in the country. The state is followed by Kerala at 72.7 percent, Gujarat at 71.4 percent, Andhra Pradesh at 69.5 percent and Odisha at 66.7 percent. In contrast, the national average has fallen sharply from 63.7 percent in NFHS-5 (2019-21) to 55.8 percent in NFHS-6, a decline of nearly eight percentage points. The findings place Chhattisgarh in a unique position at a time when many states have witnessed a significant drop in breastfeeding practices. Uttar Pradesh recorded the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rate at 34.6 percent, followed by Nagaland at 37.4 percent, Uttarakhand at 40.8 percent and Haryana at 41.2 percent. Haryana registered one of the steepest declines, falling from 69.5 percent in NFHS-5 to 41.2 percent in NFHS-6. Uttar Pradesh also saw a major decline from 59.7 percent to 34.6 per cent. Other large states reported substantial reductions as well. Madhya Pradesh recorded a fall from 74 per cent to 56.4 percent, Rajasthan from 70.4 percent to 54.3 percent and Assam from around 64 percent to 54 percent.

 

Chhattisgarh has also shown remarkable progress in the early initiation of breastfeeding. The proportion of babies breastfed within the first hour of birth increased from around 32 percent in NFHS-5 to nearly 52 percent in NFHS-6. Similar improvements were recorded in Jharkhand, where the figure rose from 22 percent to 46.8 percent, and Bihar, where it increased from 31 percent to 52 percent. Kerala reported the highest rate of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth at more than 82 percent, followed by Andhra Pradesh at 67 percent. Kerala also ranked second nationally in exclusive breastfeeding, just behind Chhattisgarh. The survey noted that while exclusive breastfeeding has declined in most states, early breastfeeding practices have improved nationally. The proportion of babies breastfed within the first hour of birth increased from about 42 percent in NFHS-4 and NFHS-5 to 50 percent in NFHS-6. However, some states, including Punjab and West Bengal, recorded declines in this indicator. Health experts consider exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life one of the most effective and affordable interventions for child survival, immunity, nutrition and healthy growth. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, followed by continued breastfeeding along with complementary foods. With the country's highest exclusive breastfeeding rate and significant improvement in early breastfeeding practices, the state has emerged as a notable example in promoting maternal and child health despite a broader national decline.