Jaipur, June 7 -- Nearly nine in ten children aged six to 23 months in Rajasthan are not receiving a minimum acceptable diet, according to NFHS-6 data, even as exclusive breastfeeding rates have declined sharply. The survey found only 8.7% of children aged six to 23 months received a minimum acceptable diet, up marginally from 8.3% in NFHS-5. Urban children fared better than rural children, with figures standing at 11.1% and 8.1% respectively. WHO defines a minimum acceptable diet as age-appropriate feeding that combines sufficient meal frequency with adequate dietary diversity. The survey also shows that exclusive breastfeeding up to six months declined from 70.4% in NFHS-5 (2019-2021) to 54.3 percent in NFHS-6 (2023-2024). Dr Narendra Gupta, a public health expert, underlined socio-economic and medical factors. "Often mothers working in informal agriculture or daily wage sectors have to return to work after delivery. There are no creches or facilities for storing breast milk," he said, adding that the low nutrition status among the poorer communities can result in mothers' inability to produce sufficient milk. "In rural areas especially, women work as daily wage labourers and don't have the time or the income to ensure the child gets a balanced diet". Dr Gupta said the first 1,000 days in the life of a toddler are critical for physical and cognitive development. "It is very important to provide semi-solid foods like soft fruits, watery dal preparations for child's development. If it is lacking, then malnutrition and stunting set in and later efforts will not mitigate it." Chhaya Pachauli, coordinator of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, an NGO working in the health sector, said with changing family dynamics, new mothers often lack support. "After delivery, they are often discharged without getting guidance on lactation and latching techniques." In addition, some cultural practices such as giving honey or animal milk to children are prevalent. In some areas, colostrum, the nutrient-rich first milk produced after childbirth, is not given to the newborn as it is believed to cause indigestion. Hemina Meena, an anganwadi worker from Dhariyawad, said children aged 6 months to 3 years get four packets of take-home ration which comprise a khichdi mix, a fortified wheat flour pre-mix, sweet daliya and salty daliya. Pregnant women and lactating mothers get three packets of take-home ration. She said, "The quality of the ration is not good and the children and women don't like the taste." She said poverty was a big reason for children not getting the minimum recommended diet. "People don't eat roti, rice, dals, and vegetables daily. They mostly eat rotis with kadhi or chhach. Pulses and vegetables are added only on some days." Sanju Bagadia, an anganwadi worker from Nehru Nagar area in Jaipur said, "The mothers don't have the money to buy supplementary food items like vegetables and fruits. They work as labourers and are often not aware of food groups or balanced diet for their children." She said earlier government provided hot meals to children in anganwadis but that has been stopped since the past couple of years. "There is a lack of awareness about providing a nutritious diet. Moreover, cultural food practices too sometimes put taboos on foods that can or can't be given to infants."...