Nutritional Health of Children Under the Age of Five

The world is faced with the “triple burden of malnutrition,” which has been exacerbated significantly after COVID-19, with alarming trends observed across various malnutrition types. Various underlying factors contribute to each aspect of malnutrition, including poverty, resulting in limited access to highly nutritious foods, suboptimal dietary choices due to a lack of awareness, and issues within the food supply chain. Child nutrition in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is disproportionately affected by challenges such as food security, safe handling, and gender disparity. Malnutrition among children under 5 years of age impacts health throughout the life course; in addition to increased risk of morbidity and mortality, malnutrition can impair cognitive development and school performance. Furthermore, childhood malnutrition can affect reproductive performance in later life, along with an increased risk of noncommunicable diseases. This chapter highlights the issue of the triple burden of malnutrition among children under 5 years of age, its determinants, and consequences.