The latest 2025 Nutrition Report released by the Sri Lanka Family Health Services Bureau states that there are 187,714 underweight children under the age of five in Sri Lanka. Among them, 10,000 children are suffering from severe malnutrition, while 91,000 are affected by moderate malnutrition.
The report further indicates that Nuwara Eliya District has recorded the highest number of children suffering from nutritional crises in the country.
According to the data, 118,658 children under the age of five are below the required height, and 100,938 children are below the required weight for their height. In addition, nearly a thousand children under the age of five are reported to be overweight for their age.
Experts emphasize that the government should prioritize strengthening primary health care programs to address this malnutrition crisis affecting young children.
The report also identifies several districts with high numbers of malnourished children, including Nuwara Eliya, Anuradhapura, Kandy, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Hambantota, Galle, Matara, Monaragala, Kalutara, Gampaha, and Colombo.
