Five in Six Infants Undernourished

Five in six children under two years old in developing countries are not getting enough of the right kinds of food, putting them at risk of irreversible mental and physical damage, the UN children’s agency UNICEF said on Friday. Half of children aged between six and 23 months are not being fed frequently enough. A widespread lack of solid foods and variety of ingredients are depriving the same age group of essential nutrients when their growing brains, bones and bodies need them the most, the agency said. Even in well-off families in developing countries, “far too many” infants and young children are missing out, UNICEF said in a report published ahead of World Food Day on October 16. Meal rates are lowest in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa where stunting rates are highest.