Nearly 1 million children a year die due to stunting and wasting

This makes child growth failure (CGF) - a combination of stunting, acute wasting and underweight - the third leading cause of death and disease in children under 5 years of age. The researchers presented these findings in a new report, Global Burden of Disease 2023, published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.

Where the situation is most dire

Growth-related deaths are estimated to have fallen from 2.75 million in 2000 to 880,000 in 2023, but the problems remain severe in two regions:

• Sub-Saharan Africa - 618,000 dead children

• South Asia - 165,000 dead children

Weight impairment contributes most to mortality with 12 per cent of all under-five deaths, followed by wasting (9 per cent) and stunting (8 per cent). The researchers also found that there are more children with stunting than previously thought.

What the deadly effects are associated with

CGF increases the risk of dying from the most common infectious diseases. In 2023, nearly 800,000 children under the age of five will die from:

• respiratory infections,

• diarrhoeal diseases,

• malaria,

• measles.

In low income regions, the proportion of CGF-related deaths is particularly high:

• Sub-Saharan Africa:

  • 77% of deaths from diarrhoea,

  • 65% from respiratory infections.

• South Asia:

  • 79% and 53% respectively.

• High-income countries: about 33-35%, the lowest.

Why children grow up poorly: the reasons are complex

According to IHME professor Bobby Rayner, the factors leading to growth disorders are "complex and accumulate over time". Among them:

• feeding problems,

• food shortages,

• climate change,

• lack of sanitation,

• war and displacement.

Most children begin to show signs of stunting in the first three months of life, highlighting the critical importance of supporting expectant mothers before and during pregnancy.

In addition, wasting and stunting often form a vicious circle: one increases the risk of the other.

What early detection means

Growth problems in the first few months of life may indicate:

• being born too small or premature,

• chronic malnutrition,

• regular infections,

• unfavourable environmental conditions.

"Since stunting is extremely difficult to reverse, it is important to identify regions of high prevalence and start interventions as early as possible," emphasises Rayner.