Child Nutrition Report 2024

Context (UNICEF): UNICEF released the Child Nutrition Report 2024.
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).
Child food poverty is distinct from other measures of child poverty and food poverty because it captures children’s direct experience of dietary deprivation.

How is child food poverty measured?

It is measured using the UNICEF and WHO dietary diversity score.
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 food groups.

Credit: UNICEF

Globally, one in four children (27%) are living in severe child food poverty in early childhood, amounting to 181 million children under 5 years of age.
South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are home to more than two-thirds (68%) of the 181 million children living in severe child food poverty.
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 child food poverty.
Unhealthy foods are displacing more nutritious foods, becoming more entrenched in children’s diets.
Drivers of child food poverty: Increasing inequities, economic crises, climatic shocks and conflict, poor food environments, poor feeding practices and household income poverty.

Position child food poverty elimination as a policy imperative and child food poverty reduction as a metric of success towards achieving global and national nutrition and development goals.
Transform food systems to make nutritious and healthy foods the most accessible, affordable and desirable option for feeding young children.
Leverage health systems to deliver essential nutrition services to prevent and treat child malnutrition.
Strengthen data systems to assess the prevalence and severity of child food poverty and identify its key drivers.