Child Malnutrition | Child Protection, donate to children

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Few of us are aware that every year, more than 3 million children around the world die from causes related to malnutrition. Yes, is the numbers are indeed shocking but unfortunately, it is true!

What is more shocking is the fact that India, which has been registering an impressive economic growth over the past ten years, contributes to much of the horrifying statistics.

Today, nearly 7 million children in India suffer from acute malnutrition. All under the age of five. It plays a significant role in almost half of the deaths of children in India under the age of five. You might not be aware of the fact but India has more numbers of malnourished children than Ethiopia.

Between 22% and 32% of babies born in India weigh less than 2.5kg. They are born underweight and without adequate nutrition, their immunity to diseases is weakened enormously.

Malnutrition has a far reaching and irreversible impact on a child's life. The critical period, when malnutrition can have the most damaging impact, is during the 33 months from conception to a child’s second birthday – the first 1,000 days. After two years of age, it is near impossible to reverse the effects of chronic malnutrition, particularly its impact on the development of the brain. One explanation is that malnutrition starts earlier, before conception. In India, 36% of women are malnourished with a body mass index of less than 18.5. These malnourished mothers often give birth to underweight children.

Malnutrition stunts physical, mental and cognitive growth and makes children more susceptible to respiratory and diarrhoeal illnesses. Malnourished children are more likely to die as a result of common and easily preventable childhood diseases than those who are adequately nourished. The children who survive the ravages of malnutrition are more vulnerable to infection, don’t reach their full height potential and experience impaired cognitive development. This means they do less well in school, earn less as adults and contribute less to the economy.

A major cause of malnutrition is a poor diet, which makes newborn babies and infants more vulnerable to infection and less able to recover from common childhood illnesses. Poverty; household food insecurity; the low status of women; poor hygiene, sanitation and lack of access to clean water; and inadequate public health services all contribute to malnutrition and are a threat to a child’s survival.

Save the Children, an NGO dedicated to the betterment of underprivileged children is trying to make a difference in the lives of malnourished children. Save the Children is a non-profit charity organisation in India which works on issues such as child protection, child education, child rights and child survival. Through its development partners, Save the Children runs programmes to positively impact malnourished children in several parts of India. Save the Children also strives to provide healthy living conditions to several underprivileged children in India to assure a better future for them.

You can support our effort by simply taking a small decision to donate to children. Support a child and help us to curb the epidemic of child malnutrition