A new report by Save the Children has revealed that almost half of the world’s children live in households that cannot afford a healthy diet. The findings, published ahead of the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) summit in Paris, show that 1.12 billion children, or 48% of the global child population, are going without essential nutritious food. The organisation warns that this crisis is worsening, exacerbated by rising food prices and the growing impacts of climate change.
Save the Children’s analysis, which draws on data from 167 countries, paints a stark picture of global malnutrition. In lower- and middle-income nations, the situation is especially dire, with 68% of children unable to access healthy food. The report attributes the lack of affordability to the high cost of nutritious foods, which is pushing many families to choose cheaper, lower-quality options.
Sohanur Rahman, National Youth Coordinator for the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Civil Society Network in Bangladesh and Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Gobal said: “In many countries, the inability to access balanced and nutritious food is a direct result of poverty. Families are being forced to prioritise quantity over quality, which is contributing to rising levels of malnutrition.”
The report also highlights the impact of climate change on food security. Droughts, floods, and unpredictable weather patterns are disrupting agriculture and diminishing the availability of nutritious food. “The effects of climate change are making the situation even more severe,” Sohanur Rahman added, who is currently attending this N4G summit in Paris. “In vulnerable areas, families are increasingly reliant on nutrient-poor diets, which is leading to higher rates of stunted growth and malnutrition.”
Further complicating the crisis, Save the Children has called for national climate plans and policies to include nutrition-focused strategies that ensure food security in the face of climate change.
The Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, a global initiative launched in 2010, works to combat malnutrition by bringing together governments, civil society, businesses, and research institutions. Bangladesh has been an active participant in the movement, collaborating with the government and other organisations to improve nutrition security and support sustainable food systems.
Mayra Alejandra Obregon Ocoro, the National Youth Coordinator for SUN in Colombia, shared her concerns at the Paris summit. “In Colombia, the combination of deep inequality and rising food costs is driving an alarming malnutrition crisis. Families are often forced to choose quantity over quality when feeding their children,” she said. “We need world leaders to act now to reduce the cost of nutritious food, support local agriculture, and ensure fair distribution of resources.”
Hannah Stephenson, Global Nutrition Lead at Save the Children, underscored the urgent need for global action. “The fact that nearly half of the world’s children cannot afford a healthy diet is deeply worrying,” she said. “Healthy diets are essential for preventing malnutrition, but they remain out of reach for too many families. It is crucial that we take a holistic approach to tackling this issue, which includes strengthening social protection systems and investing in sustainable health systems.”
At the summit, Save the Children called on governments to commit to building sustainable food systems that make nutritious food affordable and accessible to all. The humanitarian organisationalso urged leaders to increase investment in climate-resilient agriculture, strengthen social protection programs for vulnerable communities, and empower women and young people to take a more active role in tackling malnutrition.
“The N4G summit is a critical opportunity for world leaders to step up and make a lasting commitment to ending global malnutrition,” said Stephenson. “It is time for real, coordinated action to ensure that every child has access to the nutritious food they need to thrive.”
