This article examines disparities in malnutrition across caste and religious groups using NFHS data. It shows that Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Muslims experience significantly higher rates of undernutrition, anaemia, and child mortality compared to other social groups, even when income and education levels are controlled.
The study argues that structural discrimination and social exclusion act as aggravating factors beyond poverty. By highlighting how caste and religion intersect with access to food, healthcare, and state services, the article reframes malnutrition as a structural injustice rather than an individual or purely economic failure.