UNICEF Report Reveals 181M Children Under Five Suffer Severe Food Poverty

The analysis, covering nearly 100 countries and various income groups, highlights the critical issue of dietary deprivation among the world's youngest population.

The new UNICEF report, "Child Food Poverty: Nutrition Deprivation in Early Childhood," reveals alarming statistics about severe child food poverty affecting 181 million children under five worldwide. This equates to one in four young children who are up to 50% more likely to suffer from wasting, a severe and life-threatening form of malnutrition. The analysis, covering nearly 100 countries and various income groups, highlights the critical issue of dietary deprivation among the world's youngest population.

Key findings from the report include:

Severe Food Poverty Definition: Children consuming only two of eight defined food groups fall under severe food poverty. Four out of five of these children are limited to breastmilk/milk and a starchy staple (rice, maize, or wheat), with less than 10% consuming fruits and vegetables and less than 5% consuming nutrient-dense foods like eggs, fish, poultry, or meat.

Geographical Distribution: Of the 181 million affected children, 65% are concentrated in 20 countries, with 64 million in South Asia and 59 million in Sub-Saharan Africa. In conflict and crisis zones like Somalia and the Gaza Strip, the situation is even more dire, with extremely high percentages of children living in severe food poverty.

Household Income and Food Poverty: Nearly half of severe child food poverty cases are in poor households driven by income poverty. However, 54% (97 million children) are in relatively wealthier households where poor food environments and feeding practices are the main issues.

Challenges and Contributing Factors: The crisis is exacerbated by food systems that fail to provide nutritious and accessible options, families' financial inability to afford nutritious foods, and aggressive marketing of cheap, nutrient-poor processed foods and sugary beverages.

The report also notes some successful interventions in countries like Burkina Faso, Nepal, Peru, and Rwanda, where targeted efforts have significantly reduced severe child food poverty rates.

UNICEF calls for urgent and coordinated actions to combat this crisis, including:

Transforming Food Systems: Making nutritious, diverse, and healthy foods more accessible and affordable for caregivers.

Leveraging Health Systems: Delivering essential nutrition services to prevent and treat malnutrition, with support for community health and nutrition workers.

Activating Social Protection Systems: Addressing income poverty through social transfers like cash, food, and vouchers, tailored to the nutritional needs of vulnerable children and families.

To support these initiatives, the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) was launched, backed by key partners including the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation. UNICEF urges continued support and sustainable policy measures to end severe child food poverty and malnutrition.