Context: According to the recently released Child Nutrition Report 2024, One in four children under age 5 around the world is experiencing severe food poverty.

• The report reveals severe child food poverty (CFP), defined as children’s inability to access and consume a nutritious and diverse diet in early childhood (first five years of life), globally.

Key findings

• Prevalence: ~27%children live in severe CFP, globally.

• In India, 40% of children suffer from severe CFP (2nd highest burden in South Asia after Afghanistan).

• Over two-thirds of the 181 million young children living in severe food poverty live in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, with 20 countries accounting for 65% of the children living in severe food poverty.

• About half (97 million) of the children in severe food poverty live in middle- and upper-income households.

• These countries are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Somalia, South Africa, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Yemen.

• The report also found that children in both poor and non-poor households face severe food poverty.

• Poor Diet: Unhealthy foods are becoming entrenched in children’s diets replacing nutrient-rich foods. 

• Income and CFP:  Severe CFP affects children in both poor and non-poor households, indicating income is not the only driving factor.

• Causes: Growing inequities, conflict and climate crises, combined with rising food prices, the overabundance of unhealthy foods, harmful food marketing strategies and poor child-feeding practices.

Recommendations

• Strengthen data systems to assess the severity of CFP. 

• Transform food systems to make nutritious foods accessible, affordable and desirable option for feeding young children.

• Leverage health systems to deliver essential nutrition services, including counselling on child feeding. 

India’s initiative

• Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 focuses on maternal nutrition, infant and young child feeding norms, etc. 

• Introducing millets in Mid-Day Meal Scheme (renamed as 'PM Poshan' scheme).

Measurement of CFP

• To meet the minimum dietary diversity for healthy growth and development, children need to consume foods from at least five out of the eight defined groups. 

About Child Nutrition Report 2024

• It was released by UNICEF.

• This global report examines the status, trends, inequities, and drivers of child food poverty in early childhood, including the impact of global and local food and nutrition crises.

• The report focuses on low- and middle-income countries, where most children living in child food poverty reside, and on the implications of child food poverty for undernutrition and poor development.

• UNICEF defines child food poverty as children’s inability to access and consume a nutritious and diverse diet in early childhood (i.e., the first five years of life).