Malnutrition in Children

Malnutrition in children happens when kids don’t get enough calories, protein, or essential vitamins and minerals – or, less commonly in the U.S., get too many – to support healthy growth and development. It’s one of the most serious consequences of childhood food insecurity, and it puts an estimated 1 in 5 U.S. children at risk. Resolving malnutrition in children is one of the greatest global health challenges currently posed to world leaders. This condition, characterized by insufficient or inadequate intake of nourishing food, is the leading cause of childhood mortality in many low- and middle-income countries, especially for children under five years of age. In the United States, one in five children, around 13 million, live in households experiencing food insecurity and are at risk of malnutrition. Malnutrition is the most dire repercussion of childhood food insecurity and can lead to severe health consequences for children, including impaired physical and cognitive development, and even chronic disease and disability in its most acute forms. These types of adverse long-term health outcomes can put severe strain on families regardless of their economic status, but statistically reinforce existing disparities across racial and economic lines. Learning how you can help meet the challenge of malnourishment in your community starts by gaining a deeper understanding of this condition and its harmful effects.

Key Takeaways

• Malnutrition is a broad term covering deficiencies, excesses, or imbalances in nutrient intake — not just “not enough food.”
• It falls into three groups: undernutrition (wasting, stunting, underweight), micronutrient-related malnutrition, and overnutrition (overweight/obesity).
• An estimated 1 in 5 U.S. children live in households experiencing food insecurity and are at risk of malnutrition.
• The “1,000-day window” from conception to a child’s third birthday is a critical period for brain development; malnutrition during this time can cause lifelong cognitive effects.
• Overnutrition, not undernutrition, is the most common form of childhood malnutrition in the U.S. today.
• Food Bank of the Rockies distributes a nutrient-rich mix of food, roughly 37% fruits and vegetables, 13% protein, 13% dairy, and 11% grains, to help address childhood malnutrition across Colorado and Wyoming.
• Rural and mountain communities in our region face added barriers to consistent, nutritious food access, including distance, transportation, and higher food costs.

What Is Malnutrition?

Malnutrition is a broad umbrella term that encompasses “deficiencies, excesses, or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients,” according to the World Health Organization. Within the umbrella of malnutrition are three distinct groups of health conditions: undernutrition, micronutrient-related malnutrition, and overnutrition. Undernutrition is the type of malnutrition that is classically associated with hunger and includes several subtypes:

• Wasting is a condition characterized by a child’s weight being too low in relation to their height. According to the WHO, wasting usually indicates “recent and severe weight loss.” Severe wasting in children can result in death but is treatable with medical help.
• Stunting is the result of prolonged undernutrition and is often characterized by children whose height is too low for their age. Stunting can have dire long-term consequences for a child’s physical and mental development.
• Underweight children are those whose weight is low relative to their age. Children who are underweight may also be experiencing wasting, stunting, or both.

Children who are experiencing micronutrient-related malnutrition are often eating enough to avoid wasting or stunting, but are still not getting an adequate amount of essential vitamins and minerals in their diet. These vitamins and minerals, often classified together as “micronutrients,” are essential to promoting proper growth and development in kids, especially nutrients like iron and vitamin A. While malnutrition is often used synonymously with undernutrition, the most common type of malnutrition in children in the United States is actually overnutrition, otherwise known as overweight or obesity. According to a 2020 report from the CDC, almost 20% of children and teens in the United States experienced obesity, a condition defined by comparing a child’s body mass index (BMI) to the national average for their age group. And while many experts have argued that BMI is an inadequate or even problematic measure of overall health, overnutrition in children is statistically linked to a variety of dangerous health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), breathing and sleeping problems, joint pain, and high cholesterol levels.

Why This Matters for Colorado and Wyoming Families

Malnutrition is the most dire repercussion of childhood food insecurity and can lead to severe health consequences for children, including impaired physical and cognitive development, and even chronic disease and disability in its most acute forms. These adverse long-term health outcomes can put severe strain on families regardless of economic status, but they statistically reinforce existing disparities across racial and economic lines. Across our service area, rural distance, limited grocery access, high food costs, seasonal work, and mountain-community transportation barriers can all make it harder for families to consistently put nutritious meals on the table , raising the risk of malnutrition for kids in those households.

Why Early Nutrition Matters: The 1,000-Day Window

At Food Bank of the Rockies, we work to address the problem of childhood malnutrition and food insecurity by providing nourishing food to our growing neighbors across the Rocky Mountain region. / Photo by Caitlyn Barnett Malnutrition in children under the age of two has been identified as especially dangerous by a 2018 policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), with long-reaching repercussions for a child’s neurodevelopment and mental health. This so-called 1,000-day window is defined by the AAP as starting from conception and continuing until the child’s third birthday, comprising prenatal nutrient intake by mothers as well as the nutrients a child receives after being born. This window coincides with a critical period of brain development in children, meaning that if kids experience malnourishment during their first 1,000 days, they may experience lifelong deficits in cognitive function, even if their nutrient intake is later corrected to healthy levels.

Malnutrition and Food Insecurity by the Numbers

• 1 in 5 U.S. children — an estimated 13 million — live in households experiencing food insecurity and are at risk of malnutrition. (Note: national food-insecurity rates for households with children have shifted in recent USDA Economic Research Service reporting; confirm this figure against the current USDA ERS food security data before publishing.)
• ~20% of U.S. children and teens experienced obesity, per a 2020 CDC report — the most common form of childhood malnutrition in the U.S.
• Globally, malnutrition — in the form of undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight/obesity combined — remains one of the greatest public health challenges facing children today, per the World Health Organization.
• 37% of the food Food Bank of the Rockies distributes is fruits and vegetables, with 13% protein, 13% dairy, and 11% grains, reflecting our focus on nutrient-rich distribution. Source: Food Bank of the Rockies program distribution data.

How Food Bank of the Rockies Helps

At Food Bank of the Rockies, we work to address the problem of childhood malnutrition and food insecurity in our communities by providing nourishing food to our growing neighbors across the Rocky Mountain region. We put an emphasis on distributing a balanced, nutrient-rich selection of foods to children and their families, made up of roughly 37% fruits and vegetables, 13% proteins, 13% dairy, and 11% grains. For many of the families with children that we support at Food Bank of the Rockies, sharing cultural traditions through food is deeply important. That’s why we work with our communities to ensure that the foods we’re offering are inclusive of a broad array of traditions. Our organization supports balanced eating patterns that align with each family’s unique identity, personal preference, and lifestyle. To help families in our communities build skills and confidence in selecting and preparing nutrient-rich foods for their children, we also offer educational resources and partnerships.

Get Help or Get Involved

If you’re interested in helping Food Bank of the Rockies meet the challenge of childhood malnutrition in your community, please consider giving the gift of your time or resources. Together, we can minimize the impact of this global issue, right here at home. If your own family needs food assistance, use our Find Food locator to find a distribution site near you.