By KUNA
London : A third of child deaths globally are caused by poor nutrition, experts warned here Thursday.
Around 3.5 million children die every year because of lack of food or poor quality food, a problem which starts in the womb, a study published in the British medical journal “The Lancet” showed.
Yet 25 percent of these deaths could be prevented with simple steps such as breastfeeding and vitamin A supplements, it added.
The majority of undernourished children and pregnant women live in just 20 countries across Africa and Asia.
The Lancet also reported that poor nutrition in infancy leads to irreversible damage in later life.
Children who are under-nourished are likely to have shorter height and do less well at school, reducing their economic potential and perpetuating the poverty cycle, analysis found.
A separate study found “convincing evidence” for several measures which could have a big impact on reducing deaths if implemented properly.
Zinc and vitamin A supplements as well as encouraging women to breastfeed for at least six months would cut deaths and the loss of years through disability by a quarter, the researchers concluded.
But the international response to child deaths from poor nutrition has been “fragmented and dysfunctional,” the experts warned.
Some children die because they simply do not have enough food. But the issue is more complex for other children who suffer stunted growth and illnesses associated with deficiencies of vital vitamins and minerals.
The problem can be exacerbated by poor sanitation which spreads infectious diseases that cause diarrhoea.