Statistics on Child Hunger

Around 811 million people, or about 10% of the global population, suffered from hunger in 2020. The global food crisis worsened last year, after having been stable for five years. Also, the long-term implications of COVID-19 on global food security mean that an additional 30 million people may be hungry in 2030 compared to a scenario in which the pandemic never happened. The setback makes it harder to reach the Sustainable Development Goal of eradicating hunger and malnutrition.

Even while the research shows considerable improvement in malnutrition, the globe is not on pace to meet any global nutrition objectives by 2030. In 2019, 44% of babies less than 6 months old were exclusively breastfed, up from 37% in 2012, while the rate varied widely by area. An alarming number of children continue to suffer from malnutrition; in 2020, it was predicted that 149 million children will be stunted, 45 million would be wasted, and 39 million would be overweight. Updated estimates of possible new instances of childhood stunting and wasting related to COVID-19 are included in the paper. Between 2020 and 2030, the pandemic is expected to cause an extra 22 million children in poor and middle-income nations to be stunted and an additional 40 million to be wasted. Global and immediate action is needed to mitigate the pandemic's negative impacts and meet the 2030 global goals.

It is not enough to just ensure that people, and especially children, have access to enough food to live; what they consume must also be nutritious in order to combat hunger and malnutrition in all its manifestations, including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and obesity. The exceptional steps taken to manage COVID-19 during the last year have further highlighted the weaknesses and shortcomings of the world's food supply networks. This year's study identifies six strategies for transforming food systems in order to ensure that all people can eat healthily. This is in recognition of the fact that food systems are largely responsible for the nutritional quality, safety, affordability, and sustainability of diets.