Mapping Child Feeding Quality in India: Regional Diet Patterns, Determinants, and Equity Gaps

This study examined regional disparities, determinants, and wealth-related inequalities in Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in India using nationally representative NFHS-5 (2019–21) data. Eleven WHO–UNICEF IYCF indicators were analysed, with particular emphasis on Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD) and Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD). Descriptive analyses, multivariate logistic regression models, and equity assessments employing Concentration Index and the Concentration Curves were conducted across six geographic regions. Findings demonstrate pronounced regional heterogeneity, alongside persistently inadequate dietary diversity and meal frequency nationwide. Less than one in four children met MDD and only one in ten achieved MAD, with the poorest outcomes concentrated in the Central, Western, and Northern regions. Maternal education, household wealth, child age, and maternal nutritional status emerged as significant predictors of dietary adequacy, although wealth-based inequalities remained relatively modest. Overall, the pervasive deficits in complementary feeding underscore the need for context-specific interventions to strengthen young children’s diets in India.