According to a new study published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, nearly 1 million children globally do not reach the age of five every year due to severe health conditions associated with Child Growth Failure (CGF). This problem is named as the third leading risk factor for mortality and morbidity in children under five.
Child Growth Failure (CGF) is a broad term that encompasses three main forms of growth impairment caused by child malnutrition: Underweight, Stunting (impaired height for age), and Wasting (impaired weight for height).
Although the number of deaths associated with Child Growth Failure has significantly decreased since 2000 (from 2.75 million to 880,000 in 2023), the negative health effect remains severe. The problem is particularly acute in developing regions. In 2023, the majority of deaths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa (618,000 deaths) and South Asia (165,000 deaths).
Among the different indicators of Child Growth Failure, Underweight is the most significant, linked to 12% of deaths in children under five. This is followed by Wasting (acute malnutrition/thinness) at 9%, and Stunting (chronic malnutrition/impaired height) at 8%. The researchers also found that the proportion of children affected by Child Growth Failure is higher than previously estimated.
Child Growth Failure significantly increases the risk of death and disability caused by various infectious diseases. In 2023, nearly 800,000 children died from lower respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, malaria, and measles, with these deaths being associated with Child Growth Failure.
This link is particularly evident in high-risk regions. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 77% of diarrheal deaths and 65% of lower respiratory infection deaths occurred in the context of Child Growth Failure. In South Asia, these figures were 79% and 53%, respectively. In comparison, in high-income regions, these proportions are approximately 33% and 35%.
According to the study’s co-author, Dr. Bobby Reiner, the causes of Child Growth Failure are complex and cumulative, including poor nutrition, food scarcity, climate change, lack of sanitation, or war. Therefore, a single strategy will not be sufficient to improve health across all regions.
