Malnutrition: A Global Problem

Globally around 165 million children under the age of five suffer from stunting, 101 million are underweight and 52 million children are wasted and approximately 90 % of these live in just 36 countries with the highest prevalence in Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Risk factors for undernutrition range from distal broad national scale determinants to proximal individual specific and factors which effect at various age and period of life. Causes of childhood growth faltering are multifactorial, and the window of period during pregnancy and the first 2 years of life (1000 days) hold an unparalleled importance. There are existing interventions which if implemented at a scale can reduce this burden significantly. But there is a need for greater priority for national nutrition programs, stronger integration, enhanced intersectoral coordination, and more focus and coordination in the global nutrition system of international agencies, donors, academia, civil society, and the private sector.