An estimated 149 million children under five years old around the world suffer from malnutrition, which is an underlying contributing factor in nearly half of all deaths in this age group.
Putting malnutrition in context
Malnutrition remains one of the most pressing and complex challenges facing the world today. According to the latest Global Report on Food Crises, nearly 282 million people across 59 countries and territories faced severe acute hunger in 2023—an increase of 24 million since 2022, when numbers were already alarmingly high. This surge is caused by sharp deteriorations in food security, especially in Gaza and Sudan. This is the fourth consecutive year of strikingly high food insecurity across the world. Hope Bridge Foundation continues to respond to the malnutrition crisis around the world, and our teams implemented considerable interventions in 2023.
People become malnourished if they are unable to take in enough or fully utilize the food they eat, due to illnesses such as diarrhea, measles, HIV, and tuberculosis. When children suffer from acute malnutrition, their immune systems are so impaired that they become more vulnerable to other diseases. Nearly half of deaths among children under five years old worldwide are linked to undernutrition, which can include wasting, stunting, being underweight, and suffering from deficiencies in vitamins and minerals. These deaths mostly occur in low- and middle-income countries. MSF estimates that only three percent of the 20 million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition receive the lifesaving treatment they need.
We can help prevent more children from dying if we change the way food aid is delivered.
