Epidemiological trends and burden of nutritional deficiencies among infants in India: Evidences from the Global Burden of Disease study, 1990–2021

BackgroundNutritional deficiencies among infants continue to be a significant contributor to the disease burden in India.AimTherefore, this study analyses the annual trends and overall burden of nutritional deficiencies among infants and forecasts the prevalence in India.MethodsData were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 study to analyse temporal trends in nutritional deficiencies among infants in India from 1990 to 2021. Joinpoint regression analysis was employed to assess changes over time, while the ARIMA model was used for forecasting. Subnational-level Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) performance data were retrieved from the National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog dashboard to understand the association between nutritional deficiencies and SDGs, presented through a heat map created using MS Excel.SummaryBetween 1990 and 2021, the prevalence of nutritional deficiencies among infants in India declined from 798.69 (95% UI: 765.85 to 830.22) to 683.54 (95% UI: 664.02 to 702.93) per 1000 live births, with an annual percentage change of -14.42. Despite this overall improvement, substantial interstate disparities persist. In 2021, Bihar [763.04 (95% UI: 723.24 to 799.46)], Jharkhand [756.8 (95% UI: 729.3 to 787.24)], and Uttar Pradesh [726.57 (95% UI: 697.24 to 758.62)] recorded the highest prevalence, while Mizoram [408.87 (95% UI: 367.44 to 455.12)] reported the lowest. Despite a measurable decline in the prevalence of nutritional deficiencies among infants in India from 1990 to 2021, the condition remains a major public health concern. The persistence of significant regional disparities, particularly in states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, reflects underlying systemic inequities in healthcare access and nutrition delivery. The observed association between subnational SDGs performance and nutritional outcomes underlines the need to enhance primary healthcare services and strengthen nutritional support systems, especially in lagging regions.