The Health Risks of Malnutrition

Five-year-old Benedict eats a meal at a ChildFund SNP (Supervised Neighborhood Play) center in Pili, Philippines. Photo by Jake Lyell.

(Updated on 03/08/2021)

One of the most serious side-effects of poverty is malnutrition. In many of the communities where ChildFund works, kids don’t have access to a healthy, well-balanced diet that they need in order to grow and develop properly. This can lead to severe health problems, and even death.

How Malnutrition Impacts Child Development

Malnutrition – which comes in many forms, such as undernutrition, wasting and stunting – can cause a host of issues, some of which are reversible, and others which aren’t.

When a young child isn’t properly nourished, her brain and her body can be severely damaged because they don’t have the nutrients they need to grow. This can cause a negative ripple effect for the rest of her life, making it hard for her to do well in school, stay active and healthy, get a job, and so much more. The early years of a child’s life are so essential to her success, especially when it comes to nutrition.

According to the World Health Organization's World Food Program, one of the most detrimental effects of malnutrition is the inability to resist diseases. In fact, the United Nations' Standing Committee on Nutrition reports that malnutrition is the largest single contributor to the spread of diseases worldwide. If children do not get adequate amounts of vital minerals, their bodies become weak, and their immune systems can be compromised. This is especially damaging in developing nations where illnesses such as cholera, tuberculosis and malaria are prevalent.

Around the world, more than 198 million kids are wasted or stunted, and especially in eastern Africa, inadequate food and poor diet are serious problems for many children. In this region, ChildFund works in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda to monitor children’s health and deliver support services through our network of trained community health workers.

Secondary Malnutrition

We know that undernourishment can cause disease, but on the opposite side of this dangerous coin, disease can also cause malnutrition. According to the World Health Organization, secondary malnutrition is a serious problem in many countries. This means that even though a child is getting the right nutrients, his body can’t absorb those nutrients because of conditions or diseases or conditions like measles or diarrhea. This is an especially serious issue in communities that lack clean water and proper sanitation.

ChildFund works in some of the poorest countries in the world to combat malnutrition and the devastating long-term health problems it causes. We reach out to families and communities that need it most — often helping them get the tools and training they need to produce healthy food themselves. In addition, we work to educate mothers and caregivers about proper nutrition for children and the importance of a well-balanced diet. We also improve sanitation and water sources in these communities to reduce the risk of children contracting waterborne illnesses.

You can help us make sure every child has a chance to grow up healthy and properly nourished by sponsoring a child today!