NEW YORK: A recent UNICEF report lamented that at least five out of every six children under two years do not get the nutritious food required at their age and, hence, are deprived of the energy and nutrients they need at such a critical time in their physical and cognitive development.
UNICEF Nutrition Adviser, France Begin, postulated that “Infants and young children have the greatest nutrient needs than at any other time in life. But the bodies and brains of millions of young children do not reach their full potential because they are receiving too little food, too late.” He further added, “Poor nutrition at such a young age causes irreversible mental and physical damage.”
Pakistan suffers from an extremely dire state of children’s nutrition. Its children are neither getting enough nor nutritious food. Three out of every ten babies were reported to have not been fed any solid foods even by the age of 11 months.
Furthermore, only around half of children across the country are being fed the minimum number of times per day: a rate which is slightly better than rates seen globally. Nearly five out of every 10 children in households face a moderate to severe food insecurity.
However, when compared to children around the world eating four or more food groups a day (30 out of every 100 children), Pakistan fares significantly bad since only 3 in its 100 children have that luxury. Thus, most of the children do not get the right amount of vitamins and minerals in their diets. An average Pakistani household spends considerably more on tea, sugar and confectionaries than vegetables, fruit, nuts, or even meat, whereas the vast majority cannot even afford a nutritious diet.
The report also concluded that poor nutritional practices such as a delayed introduction of solid foods, infrequent meals and lack of food variety, which deprive children of essential nutrients when their growing brains, bones and bodies need them the most, are heavily widespread. It was also found that in order to make nutritious foods affordable and accessible to the poorest children around the globe, respective authorities would need to strongly invest in a more targeted manner; in conjunction with the private sector.
Cash or in-kind transfers to vulnerable families, crop diversification programmes and fortification of staple foods are some of the key steps required to improve nutrition for young children. Community-based health services, which can help caregivers learn better feeding practices as well as the provision of safe water and sanitation, are absolutely critical in preventing diarrhea among children.
Begin further said, “We cannot afford to fail in our fight to improve nutrition for young children. Their ability to grow, learn and contribute to their country’s future depends on it.”
