UNICEF released the Child Food Poverty: Addressing nutrition deprivation in early childhood report, which found that 1 in 4 children under the age of 5 are experiencing severe child food poverty. The effects of this make these children 50% more likely to experience wasting, a life-threatening form of malnutrition. The report analyzes the impacts and causes of dietary deprivation among children in nearly 100 countries.

Key findings from the report:

• Globally, one in four children are living in severe child food poverty in early childhood, amounting to 181 million children under 5 years of age.
• Progress towards ending severe child food poverty is slow, but some regions and countries are proving that progress is possible and is happening.
• Severe child food poverty is experienced by children belonging to poor and non-poor households, indicating that household income is not the only driver of severe child food poverty.
• Children living in severe child food poverty are missing out on many nutrient-rich foods, while unhealthy foods are becoming entrenched in the diets of these children.
• The global food and nutrition crisis and localized conflicts and climatic shocks are intensifying severe child food poverty, especially in fragile countries.
• Severe child food poverty is driving child undernutrition: the prevalence of severe child food poverty is three times higher in countries with a high prevalence of child stunting.

The report highlights a call to action to end severe child food poverty. Governments and partners must work together to invest in strategies to improve children’s access to food and end severe child food poverty.

In the report, UNICEF calls on governments, development and humanitarian partners, donors, civil society and media, and academic and research organizations to:

• Elevate child food poverty reduction as a requirement for achieving global and national nutrition and development goals and a metric of success in meeting children’s right to food and nutrition; and commit resources to end child food poverty.
• Transform food systems by ensuring food environments make nutritious, diverse and healthy foods the most accessible, affordable and desirable option for feeding young children, and the food and beverage industry complies with policies to protect children from unhealthy foods and beverages.
• Leverage health systems to deliver essential nutrition services, including counselling and support on child feeding, to prevent and treat child malnutrition, prioritizing the most vulnerable children.
• Activate social protection systems to address income poverty in ways that are responsive to the food and nutrition needs of the most vulnerable children and their families, including social transfers to protect children at highest risk of child food poverty.
• Strengthen data systems to assess the prevalence and severity of child food poverty; detect increases in child food poverty early, including in fragile and humanitarian contexts; and track national and global progress in reducing severe child food poverty.

Access the Child Food Poverty: Addressing nutrition deprivation in early childhood report to learn how to get involved.

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