52% of Nigerian children are stunted, wasted

•N188.3bn investment needed yearly to combat malnutrition, save 180,000 lives, avert three million cases of stunting 
An estimated 52 per cent of children in Nigeria, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia and Pakistan are stunted, wasted or both and a minority grow up with adequate nutrition.

According to the latest edition of The Global Nutrition Report 2015, published last week, in New York, United States, to combat malnutrition, in Nigeria, an N188.3 billion ($837 million) investment is needed, which would save 180,000 lives, and avert three million cases of stunting a year.
A break down showed the cost of averting each case of stunting is a mere N65,700 ($292).

According to Wikipedia, stunted growth, also known as stunting and nutritional stunting, is a reduced growth rate in human development. It is a primary manifestation of malnutrition (or more precisely under-nutrition) and recurrent infections, such as diarrhea and helminthiasis, in early childhood and even before birth, due to malnutrition during fetal development brought on by a malnourished mother.

The Global Nutrition Report 2015 is the second in an annual series, covers nutrition status and programme coverage as well as underlying determinants such as food security; water, sanitation, and hygiene; resource allocations; and institutional and policy changes – globally, and for 193 countries.

According to the report, nutrition can be a driver of change or a barrier to progress, and there are actions leaders of every country should be taking to end malnutrition in all its forms.

Among the report’s key findings: One in three members of the global population is malnourished, and the problem exists in every country on the planet — yet, the strategies (or “high-impact interventions”) available to resolve it are not being implemented due to lack of money, skills, or political pressure.

Lead author of the study and senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Lawrence Haddad, said: “When one in three of us is held back, we as families, communities, and nations cannot move forward.
“This not only jeopardizes the lives of those who are malnourished, but also affects the larger framework for economic growth and sustainable development. Simply put: people cannot get anywhere near their full potential without first overcoming malnutrition.”

The report noted that childhood stunting and wasting remain serious problems: More than 160 million children worldwide under five years old are too short for their age (stunted), while more than 50 million do not weigh enough for their height (wasted). “Although countries are increasingly meeting goals for combating stunting and wasting, adult obesity—another form of malnutrition—is growing. The prevalence of obesity rose in every single country between 2010 and 2014, and one in 12 adults worldwide now has type 2 diabetes,” it noted.

Head of nutrition, Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu, said: “Malnutrition results in impaired cognitive development in children, which goes on to have a bearing on their entire life chances and opportunities. It takes a village to raise a child, so it is our responsibility as a community and a country to bring an end to malnutrition by supporting adequate and sufficient nutrition. By doing this we secure not just the future of our children, but also that of our country.”

Head of Advocacy & Campaign, Save the Children, David Olayemi, said: “Every child in Nigeria deserves to grow and develop adequately without the greater risks of illness and premature death that are associated with malnutrition and stunted growth. For this reason it should be our priority as a nation to invest in nutrition. The evidence also shows that improved nutrition enhances Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.”

The report also noted that climate change is complicating global efforts to end malnutrition. “Even small and seasonal fluctuations in climate can have big impacts on food availability and disease patterns, and these in turn dramatically affect children’s survival and development. This means, for example, that babies born in India in November and December are taller on average at three years of age than those born in April through September. In a world where many are not eating enough and others are eating too much, food systems also need attention,” it noted.

The report added: “Many countries are not on target to meet World Health Assembly targets on nutrition. Most countries are off course in expanding exclusive breastfeeding, and six countries on three continents are regressing badly. Adult diabetes is increasing in 185 countries and is decreasing or stable in just five.
“Countries that are committed to reducing malnutrition have the capability to do so, according to the report. Investing in improved nutrition can have economic returns that outpace the United States (U.S.) stock market in recent decades. Investing N225 ($1) can yield up to N3,600 ($16) in economic benefits.”

The report released ahead of the United Nations General Assembly Summit where member states convened this week to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals.

According to the report, malnutrition is tied to many of the proposed goals—and when 45 per cent of all deaths of children under five are related to malnutrition, it is critical that leaders keep nutrition policy at the forefront of their decision-making. The report’s website contains profiles of 193 countries’ progress on improving nutrition.