Global Child Nutrition Statistics

Image of five young children in Africa holding hands

Global Malnutrition

88% – Percentage of countries facing a serious burden of either two or three forms of malnutrition
2 billion – Number of people lacking key micronutrients like iron and vitamin A
149.2 million – Number of children with stunting
45.4 million – Number of children with wasting
Source: The Global Nutrition Report

22% - Percentage of children 5 years old and younger with stunting
6.7% - Percentage of children 5 years old and younger with wasting
Source: FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO. 2022. In Brief to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022.
Repurposing food and agricultural policies to make healthy diets more affordable. Rome, FAO

Global Overweight and Obesity

38.9 million – Number of children overweight
2.2 billion – Number of adults overweight or obese
Source: The Global Nutrition Report

Breastfeeding

43.8% - Percentage of infants less than 6 months of age that are exclusively breastfed
Source: FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO. 2022. In Brief to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022.
Repurposing food and agricultural policies to make healthy diets more affordable. Rome, FAO