Two of every three children under five in Bangladesh are living in child food poverty, according to a new report of UNICEF.
This means that about 10 million Bangladeshi children consume fewer than the minimum five food groups, recommended by UNICEF and WHO for adequate nutrition, said the report titled Child Food Poverty: Nutrition Deprivation in Early Childhood.
Child food poverty detrimentally impacts all children, but its effects are especially profound during early childhood. Alarmingly, one in five children under five in Bangladesh lives in severe child food poverty, surviving on just one or two food groups a day, said a press release.
Children without an adequately diverse diet are up to 50 per cent more likely to experience wasting, a severe form of malnutrition, it mentioned.
Bangladesh is among the 20 countries that account for almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of the total number of children experiencing severe child food poverty globally, according to the report.
The consequences of an insufficient diet can last a lifetime: children deprived of good nutrition in early childhood tend to do less well in school, earn less in adulthood, and remain trapped in a cycle of poverty and deprivation, it mentioned.
"Good nutrition is the bedrock of children's survival, growth and development. Families play a critical role in ensuring that children are fed nutritious foods, but they cannot do it alone. They must be supported through a systematic approach - leveraging the potential of food, health and social protection systems - and driven by decisive political will and targeted investment," UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh Sheldon Yett was quoted as saying.
"By transforming food systems in Bangladesh to make diverse and healthy foods accessible and affordable, we can help ensure that every child has a strong start for a powerful beginning," he added.
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