{
  "id": 47104,
  "title": "Why breastfeeding rates have dropped in India: insights from NFHS-6",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/why-breastfeeding-rates-have-dropped-in-india-insights-from-nfhs-6",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-02T13:30:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu Health",
    "slug": "the-hindu-health",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/why-breastfeeding-rates-have-dropped-in-india-insights-from-nfhs-6/article71272032.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6, 2023-24) has revealed a concerning decline in exclusive breastfeeding rates among infants in India, despite recent improvements in maternal healthcare indicators. While institutional deliveries and postnatal care coverage have increased, exclusive breastfeeding rates have dropped from 63.7% in NFHS-5 to 55.8% in NFHS-6, reversing a decade-old trend. This development brings India back to the same level of exclusive breastfeeding observed nearly a decade ago. The decline appears to be state-specific, with Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana experiencing the most significant reductions, collectively accounting for a large share of all births in India. The data suggests that the gains made in breastfeeding practices were thin and susceptible to reversal, rather than being the result of a uniform national shock.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}