We all know that children need enough food to grow properly and healthy, but what happens when they don't have it?
A new study shows depressing information about malnutrition and children, and how lack of food affects them.
Let's find out more about what they've discovered.
More about the study
In a recent study published on September 13, 2023, researchers explored how a lack of food affects children's growth during their first two years of life.
This is a significant problem, especially in parts of Asia.
In 2022, almost 150 million children, which is more than one in five worldwide, didn't get enough food to grow properly.
Over 45 million of them were too light for their height, a sign of severe malnutrition.
Tragically, more than a million children die each year due to not having enough food, and another 250,000 pass away because they didn't grow well in their early years.
Study results
The research showed that children whose growth problems began before they were six months old were more likely to face severe issues by the time they were 18 to 24 months old.
This highlights the importance of providing nutrition and support to children and pregnant women early, even before birth.
The studies also revealed that the season when children are born can affect their growth.
For example, children born during the rainy season might face more difficulties due to food availability.
Why it's important
These findings emphasize the need to start helping children and mothers with nutrition much earlier, even before birth, to ensure healthy growth.
It's not just about feeding children; it's about ensuring mothers are healthy too, as this can have a positive impact on multiple generations.
