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What is malnutrition in children and what can parents do?
Malnutrition means the body gets too little, too much or the wrong balance of energy and nutrients.
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What it is
Malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients [3]. The term covers three broad groups of conditions [3]. The first is undernutrition, which includes wasting (low weight-for-height), stunting (low height-for-age) and underweight (low weight-for-age) [3]. The second is micronutrient-related malnutrition, which includes a lack of important vitamins and minerals, or too much of them [3]. The third is overweight, obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers [3].
Undernutrition has four broad sub-forms: wasting, stunting, underweight, and deficiencies in vitamins and minerals [9]. Wasting is low weight-for-height, and it usually shows recent and severe weight loss because a person has not had enough food and/or has had an infectious disease such as diarrhoea [9]. Stunting is low height-for-age, and it results from chronic or recurrent undernutrition, usually linked to poor socioeconomic conditions, poor maternal health and nutrition, frequent illness, and/or inappropriate infant and young child feeding and care in early life [9]. Stunting holds children back from reaching their physical and cognitive potential [9]. A child who is underweight may be stunted, wasted or both [9].
Micronutrients enable the body to produce enzymes, hormones and other substances that are essential for proper growth and development [4]. Iodine, vitamin A and iron are the most important in global public health terms, and their deficiency is a major threat to health and development, particularly for children and pregnant women in low-income countries [4].
Women, infants, children and adolescents are at particular risk of malnutrition [1]. Optimising nutrition early in life, including the 1000 days from conception to a child’s second birthday, ensures the best possible start in life with long-term benefits [1]. Poverty amplifies the risk of, and risks from, malnutrition [1]. According to the WHO, nearly half of deaths among children under 5 years of age are linked to undernutrition, mostly in low- and middle-income countries [7].
What you can do at home
- Feed your child a variety of foods each day so the diet is not based on one or two items [3].
- Pay attention to the first 1000 days, from conception to the second birthday, as this is the period when nutrition matters most for long-term development [1].
- Include foods that provide iodine, vitamin A and iron, since a lack of these is a major threat to children’s health and development [4].
- If your child has diarrhoea or another illness that causes weight loss, treat the illness and watch their weight, because illness is a common cause of wasting [9].
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, your own nutrition matters for your child’s growth [9].
- If you are worried about your child’s weight or height, ask your doctor to measure and plot them rather than judging by eye [9].
When to see a doctor or go to the emergency department
- Your child looks very thin for their height, or has lost weight recently [9].
- Your child is much shorter than other children of the same age [9].
- Your child is underweight, or you are not sure whether they are growing well [9].
- Your child has diarrhoea or another infection and is losing weight [9].
- Your child is not eating or drinking normally, or is becoming weak or very tired [9].
- Your child is moderately or severely wasted — this increases the risk of death, but treatment is possible [9].
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding and cannot get enough varied food yourself [1][9].
If you are worried, contact your doctor. In an emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department.
Common questions
Is malnutrition only about not eating enough? No. It also includes eating too much or the wrong balance of nutrients, and it covers overweight, obesity and diet-related diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers [3][8].
Can malnutrition affect a child who eats every day? Yes. A child can eat every day and still lack important vitamins and minerals, or eat mainly poor-quality food [3][4].
Does malnutrition only happen in poor countries? No. Every country in the world is affected by one or more forms of malnutrition [1].
Can a wasted child get better? Yes. A young child who is moderately or severely wasted has an increased risk of death, but treatment is possible [9].
How many children are affected? Globally in 2022, 149 million children under 5 were estimated to be stunted, 45 million were estimated to be wasted, and 37 million were overweight or living with obesity [7].
Sources
[1] WHO — “Malnutrition”, section “Who is at risk?”, p. 1 — https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition [3] WHO — “Malnutrition”, section “Overview”, p. 1 — https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition [4] WHO — “Malnutrition”, section “Micronutrient-related malnutrition”, p. 1 — https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition [7] WHO — “Malnutrition”, section “Key facts”, p. 1 — https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition [8] WHO — “Malnutrition”, section “Maladies non transmissibles liées à l’alimentation”, p. 1 — https://www.who.int/fr/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition [9] WHO — “Malnutrition”, section “Various forms of malnutrition Undernutrition”, p. 1 — https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition
This guide summarises published paediatric guidelines. It is not medical advice and does not replace your paediatrician. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
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