The aim of the present study was to explore the nature, extent and probable causes of nutritional deficiencies among children with disabilities living in Dharavi, a slum in Mumbai, India. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate whether the nutritional status of children with disabilities, aged 2 -6 years (n 141), was worse than that of non-disabled sibling controls (n 122) and neighbour controls (n 162). Data on food patterns, anthropometry, micronutrient status and feeding difficulties reported by parents were collected. The mean weight for age of the children with disabilities (2 2路44 (SD 1路39) Z scores; n 120) was significantly lower (P,0路05) compared with the sibling (2 1路70 (SD 1路20) Z scores; n 109) and neighbour (21路83 (SD 1路290) Z scores; n 162) control groups. The children with disabilities had significantly lower (P, 0路05) mean haemoglobin levels (92 (SD 23) g/l; n 134) compared with siblings (102 (SD 18) g/l; n 103) and neighbours (99 (SD 18) g/l; n 153). Relative risk (RR) analysis indicated that the disabled children with feeding difficulties were significantly more likely (P, 0路05) to be malnourished, by the indicator of weight for age (RR 1路1; 95 % CI 1路08, 1路20) compared with the disabled children without a feeding difficulty. They were also significantly more likely to be malnourished using the indicators of height for age (RR 1路3; 95 % CI 1路19, 1路43) and weight for height (RR 2路4; 95 % CI 1路78, 3路23) compared with the disabled children without a feeding difficulty. Feeding difficulties were identified as a risk factor for vulnerability to inadequate nutritional status among children with disabilities.