Overview
- A peer-reviewed PLOS One analysis of district-level data reports roughly 25% higher rates of underweight children in climate-vulnerable areas.
- Highly vulnerable districts also record higher stunting and wasting, more non-institutional deliveries, and greater difficulty accessing care.
- The association persists after adjusting for mothers’ education, birth order, and access to facilities, indicating an independent climate link.
- Vulnerability clusters in Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand, with many northeastern districts—including all of Arunachal Pradesh—rated highly vulnerable.
- Authors call for linking climate-disaster impact tracking with health outcomes and investing in heat- and flood-resilient facilities, medicine stocks, and workforce training; the paper cites Wellcome Trust funding and no competing interests.