A recent UNICEF report, “Child Food Poverty: Early Childhood Nutrition Deficiencies,” revealed some alarming statistics about the current state of child food poverty around the world. According to the report, one in four children worldwide is severely food poor, surviving on one or two food groups a day, or sometimes even less. This poverty puts 181 million children at risk of severe malnutrition, affecting children's growth, development and overall health.
Extent of the crisis
The UNICEF report defines severe child food poverty as a young child's lack of access to and inability to consume a nutritious and diverse diet, which is measured using the UNICEF/WHO Food Diversity Score.
The report highlights that severe child food poverty is particularly prevalent in regions such as South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Notably, 65 percent of the 181 million affected children worldwide live in just 20 countries, including India, Guinea, Afghanistan, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia. These countries are home to the majority of severely food insecure children, with 64 million affected children in South Asia alone.
The report categorizes countries into three groups — low, medium and high risk — with India falling into the high risk category.
Global impacts and inequality
Of the 181 million children who are severely food poor, 64 million live in South Asia and 59 million in sub-Saharan Africa. The most dire cases stand out in Somalia, where 63 percent of children are affected, and the Gaza Strip, where nine in 10 children are severely food poor.
The report highlights wide disparities in food poverty levels across regions. In the hardest-hit regions, such as Somalia, 63 percent of children experience severe food poverty. In contrast, Belarus has the lowest levels of child food poverty. The report highlights that while the post-COVID-19 economic recovery is underway, the combined impacts of inequality, conflict and the climate crisis are exacerbating the situation, pushing food prices and the cost of living to record highs.
Children who live in severe food poverty are up to 50% more likely to suffer from life-threatening malnutrition. They are fed mainly starchy staples and breast or formula, with less than 10% consuming fruits and vegetables and less than 5% consuming nutritious foods such as eggs, fish, poultry and meat. These deficiencies not only affect their physical health, but also hinder cognitive development and educational outcomes, perpetuating a vicious cycle of poverty and malnutrition for generations.
Causes of child food poverty
The crisis is multifactorial. While household income is an important determinant, the report shows that more than half of children who are severely food poor live in relatively affluent households. The report finds that 46 percent of affected children live in poor households, but 54 percent live in households with incomes above the poverty line. This suggests that while household income is an important factor, it is not the only determinant.
Other significant contributing factors include poor food environments, inappropriate school feeding practices and the aggressive marketing of cheap, unhealthy foods. This situation is exacerbated by conflict, the climate crisis and economic inequality, which are driving food prices to record highs and making nutritious foods unavailable for many families.
India: Learn more
India is among the top 25 countries most affected by child food poverty. In Asia, India ranks third after Afghanistan and Bhutan. The report found that a significant proportion of Indian children under the age of five suffer from severe food poverty, defined as consuming less than two of the eight food groups daily.
Despite various government efforts to tackle child poverty, challenges remain. Factors such as limited access to education, healthcare and economic opportunities, particularly in rural areas, continue to impede progress. Urban-rural disparities further exacerbate the problem, with rural children more likely to suffer from severe food poverty.
Implications for policy and action
The UNICEF report calls for urgent action to transform food systems and make nutritious foods more available and affordable. The report stresses the need to strengthen health systems to provide essential nutrition services and activate social safeguards to address income poverty. The establishment of the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), supported by various global partners, is a key step in mobilizing resources to end child malnutrition.
Governments, development agencies, civil society and the private sector are called upon to work together, leveraging their resources and expertise, to implement sustainable solutions.
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