UNICEF: 77 Million Children in Middle East, North Africa Suffer from Malnutrition

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned Monday that at least 77 million children and adolescents in the Middle East and North Africa region suffer from some form of malnutrition due to crises. The UNICEF said that "at least 77 million children - or 1 in 3 - in the Middle East and North Africa region suffer from some form of malnutrition." It added: "55 million children in the region suffer from overweight or obesity, with these forms of malnutrition rising among school-age children in all 20 countries in the region. One in three school-age children and adolescents also suffer from overweight and obesity, while another 24 million children suffer from malnutrition, including stunting, wasting and thinness." "Only one-third of young children receive the nutritious foods they need to grow, develop and thrive," said Adele Khodr, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa. "This is a shocking statistic in 2024 and risks getting worse as conflicts, crises and other challenges persist in our region." The UNICEF noted that despite progress in reducing the prevalence of stunting (low height) in the past two decades, the problem remains widespread, affecting 10 million children under the age of 5 in the region. The UNICEF considered that malnutrition in the Middle East and North Africa region is a major challenge as it occurs against a complex backdrop of ongoing crises, political instability, climate shocks and rising food prices. Last month, UN agencies estimated in a report that about 733 million people faced hunger in 2023, a level that has remained stable for three years after a sharp rise in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Moderate or severe food insecurity, which forces people to sometimes skip meals, affected 2.33 billion people last year, or nearly 29% of the world's population. UNICEF warned governments in the region to prioritize nutrition in their national development plans, policies and budgets. Source: Qatar News Agency