YOUNG CHILDREN’S DIETS SHOW NO IMPROVEMENT IN LAST DECADE, GET MUCH WORSEN UNDER COVID-19: UNICEF

In an analysis of 91 countries including India, the report finds that only half of children aged 6-23 months are being fed the minimum recommended number of meals a day, while just a third consume the minimum number of food groups they need to thrive. Further analysis of 50 countries with available trend data reveals these poor feeding patterns have persisted throughout the last decade. Children under the age of 2 are not getting the food or nutrients they need to thrive and grow well, leading to irreversible developmental harm, as per a new report released by UNICEF on Thursday.

Fed to Fail: The crisis of children’s diets in early life —released ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit this week—warns that rising poverty, inequality, conflict, climate-related disasters, and health emergencies such as the Covid-19 pandemic, are contributing to an ongoing nutrition crisis among the world’s youngest that has shown little sign of improvement in the last ten years. “The report’s findings are clear: when the stakes are highest, millions of young children are being fed to fail. Poor nutritional intake in the first two years of life can irreversibly harm children’s rapidly growing bodies and brains, impacting their schooling, job prospects and futures. While we have known this for years, there has been little progress on providing them right kind of nutritious and safe foods. The ongoing Covid-19 disruptions could make the situation much worse,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore.

According to the report, children aged 6-23 months living in rural areas or from poorer households are more likely to be fed poor diets compared to their urban or wealthier peers. In 2020, for example, the proportion of children fed the minimum number of recommended food groups was twice as high in urban areas (39%) than in rural areas (23). The report notes that progress is possible with investment. In South Asia (19%), less than one in four young children are being fed a minimally diverse diet. Dr Yasmin Ali Haque, UNICEF Representative in India, said, “The fallout from Covid-19 has compounded the nutrition-related challenges. The key indicator for development and improve data quality for better policy and programme decisions. Regular reviews of nutrition supported by robust data systems, like HMIS, POSHAN Tracker and NFHS that track changes in coverage, continuity, intensity and quality of interventions is a must to help identify areas where urgent actions are needed.”