About chronic malnutrition:
Chronic malnutrition is a disease that develops when children do not receive the nutrients they need during the first 1,000 days of life (through a women’s pregnancy until the child’s second birthday). The consequences of chronic malnutrition – stunted growth, impaired brain development, and a weakened immune system – are largely irreversible, preventing affected children from reaching their full potential. Today, 1 in 5 children worldwide are chronically malnourished. Compared to their peers, chronically malnourished children struggle to do as well in school and on average earn 20% less as adults. The presence of chronic malnutrition is not only a human tragedy, but also an enormous obstacle to countries’ economic development. In Africa, where chronic malnutrition affects 1 in every 3 children, the cost of undernutrition in some countries is estimated to be up to 16% of GDP. Despite affecting 144 million children worldwide, chronic malnutrition lacks public awareness.