Govt report estimates one-third of India’s children age 5-9 have high triglycerides

Over a third of India’s children aged 5-9 could be having high triglycerides, with Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal and northeastern states showing highest prevalence, according to a government report.

Over 67 % of children in West Bengal, 64 % in Sikkim, 55 % in Nagaland, 57 %t in Assam and 50% in Jammu Kashmir were estimated to have high levels of triglycerides — a type of blood fat that is known to increase risk of heart disease in later life.

Kerala and Maharashtra were among the states showing lowest prevalence at 16.6 % and 19.1 %, respectively.

‘Children in India 2025‘ — the fourth edition since its start in 2008 — was released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation during the 29th Conference of Central and State Statistical Organisations (CoCSSO) on September 25 in Chandigarh.

The report “provides a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the well-being of children in the country,” the ministry said in a statement.

Data gathered via government’s ministries and departments, such as National Family Health Survey 2019-21 and Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey 2016-18, were compiled.

Prematurity and a low weight at birth was found to be the most common cause of death among newborns in the first 29 days of life — national prevalence estimated at 48 %.

Birth asphyxia (not getting enough oxygen) and trauma during birth, and pneumonia were second and third most common reasons, with a prevalence of 16 % and 9%.

Authors of the report also classified about 5 % of the country’s teenagers as hypertensive — highest prevalence of 10 %seen in Delhi, followed by Uttar Pradesh (8.6 %), Manipur (8.3 %) and Chhatisgarh (7%)

Over 16 % of adolescents in India were estimated to have high triglycerides.

‘Education and development’, and ‘crimes involving children and child protection’ were among other aspects that the report compiled data on.

Overall, 63.1 % of India’s children and adolescents are literate, with 73.1 % of those aged seven and above being literate, the report said.

Over 80 % of boys aged 7-9, 92 % of those aged 10-14 and 91 % of those aged 15-19 are literate, while 81.2 % of girls aged 7-9, 90 % of those aged 10-14 and 86.2 % of girls aged 15-19 are literate, it said.