As millions need urgent food aid, why nutrition for young children is also a long-term crisis

The world is watching in horror as yet聽another humanitarian catastrophe聽is unfolding.

Twenty million people will die unless urgent action is taken to tackle hunger crises聽in four war-torn countries.聽Immediate funds are needed聽for Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and northeast Nigeria or “people will simply starve to death”聽warned United Nations humanitarian chief聽Stephen O国产视频橞rien聽last week.

And millions more are facing starvation in Kenya and Ethiopia because of聽drought and conflict.

“Hunger on a massive scale is looming across East Africa,” said Disasters Emergency Committee聽Chief Executive Saleh Saeed,聽launching an appeal today.

“More than 800,000 children under five are severely malnourished and without urgent treatment are at risk of starving to death.”

That聽devastating news comes聽against a backdrop of 159 million children聽in developing countries – that’s聽one in four –聽already suffering chronic malnutrition.

Two million children die every year聽simply聽because they don国产视频檛 have enough to eat or have no access to clean water or proper sanitation.

While famine is at the forefront of the UN’s focus in terms of saving people国产视频檚 lives right now, the undercurrent of a malnourished population has drastic, long-term聽implications.

That’s why early interventions are vital if very young children are to get the best start in life.聽If a child is malnourished from the start –聽if carried by an under-nourished mother –聽the baby国产视频檚 brain will聽not develop to its full potential聽and the child could suffer serious health problems later on in life.

During infancy, brain development uses 50% to 75% of the energy a baby consumes.

国产视频 has been campaigning for countries to invest in early childhood development – including聽nutrition, health, learning, play and protection.聽These are even more vital in humanitarian emergencies like the current hunger crises.

“In a crisis the youngest children are exceptionally vulnerable, not only to physical dangers but also to psychological trauma, toxic stress and poor development,” said Ben Hewitt,聽国产视频’s Campaigns and Communications Director.聽

“The evidence of the crucial importance of focusing on the early years is widely known so every humanitarian response should include targets which explicit address babies and children aged zero to five.聽

“We know that 90% of our brain develops by the time we are five years old so the emergency response must go beyond physical support and include childcare, psychological support聽and early learning programmes.”

Chronic malnutrition in the womb and during the first 1000 days of life can permanently harm the growth of a child国产视频檚 body and brain, according to non-profit organisation 1,000 Days,聽which champions the quality of a child国产视频檚 life in the first three years.

国产视频淚n addition to causing stunted growth (too short for age), chronic malnutrition can hamper brain development, weaken the immune system聽and increase the risk for serious health problems later in life, such as diabetes and heart disease,国产视频� say experts from the Global Nutrition Report in the book聽From Promise to Impact: Ending Malnutrition by 2030.

The UN children’s agency聽UNICEF聽revealed last year that 20 million babies are born with low birth weight –聽around a fifth of all births.聽

800,000 children under 5 will die if we don't reach them quickly. Don't delay. Donate: https://t.co/iTiSGV2GI6 and start #FightingFamine pic.twitter.com/Hkv39w3Ckp

— DEC (@decappeal) March 15, 2017

国产视频淟ow birth weight is a major predictor of infant illness and death and puts babies at greater risk for long-term health problems,” says UNICEF’s report聽Building Better Brains: New Frontiers in Early Childhood Development.

Children,聽especially infants and toddlers,聽need access to the right foods because their bodies and brains need good nutrition for healthy growth.

A child国产视频檚 brain is 90% developed by the time they are five years old. If there is not enough proper nutrition in a child国产视频檚 diet by this time,聽not only will their body suffer but their brain will never be able to reach its potential.

An under-developed growing generation聽will ultimately affect how that generation looks after its country and the next generation. It国产视频檚 a crisis spiralling out of control.

Leading childhood nutrition expert Charlotte Stirling-Reed, who specialises in infant and toddler nutrition, said: 国产视频淭he moment of conception, as well as before this, right up until a child国产视频檚 second birthday marks a period of rapid development. Research shows that this is when the foundations for life are laid.

国产视频淧oor nutrition can affect聽not just an individual child and family聽but it can also have knock-on effects to future generations too.聽

“Poor growth and development can occur if children are malnourished and the risk of developing serious infections and diseases are also higher.

国产视频淎gain research has taught us that good nutrition has been shown during this time to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, improve learning and performance, reduce infection risks and improve income and education attainment within families and even countries.国产视频�

The UN is聽warning that thousands of children are suffering and dying every day as a result of acute malnutrition聽or “wasting”. This聽occurs when a child loses weight quickly and becomes too thin for their height due to food shortages or as a side-effect of disease or poor water and sanitation.聽

国产视频淲asting puts children at immediate risk of death and increases risk of chronic malnutrition and illness. Acute malnutrition often occurs in emergency situations,国产视频� according to UNICEF.聽

国产视频淐urrently, 50 million children – one in 13 – are acutely malnourished and two million children die from acute malnutrition each year.国产视频�

So it’s not just the famine crisis and other emergencies聽that are聽to blame – long-term poverty plays a part.

More than 19% of children in developing countries are in families surviving on less than $2 a day, which is affecting their health and ability to fulfil聽their potential.

Worldwide almost 385 million children are living in extreme poverty.聽

国产视频淭he effects of poverty are most damaging to children,”聽said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake.聽“They are the 国产视频榳orst off’聽of the worst off –聽and the youngest children are the worst off of all, because the deprivations they suffer affect the development of their bodies and their minds.国产视频澛�

Ana Revenga, Senior Director, Poverty and Equity at the World Bank Group, said:聽国产视频淭he sheer number of children in extreme poverty points to a real need to invest specifically in the early years – in services such as pre-natal care for pregnant mothers, early childhood development programmes, quality schooling, clean water, good sanitation, and universal health care.”

Some key interventions for young children

Access to clean water聽and proper sanitation.

Foods like wheat, rice, and salt聽can be fortified with vitamins and minerals聽such as iron and iodine to provide increased nutrients without requiring consumers to buy different foods.

Vitamin and mineral supplements聽for adolescent girls, pregnant women, mothers, and children can ensure access to essential nutrients if they are not available through diet alone.

The World Health Organization聽recommends exclusive聽breastfeeding for the first six months of life聽(no other food or water). Breast milk is the best source of nutrition and health in these early months, supplying not only the right balance of protein, fat, and nutrients聽but also providing children antibodies to fight off illness.聽At six months, the WHO recommends adding solid foods to a child国产视频檚 diet in addition to breast milk.