Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 17: Pakistan's economic policy debate has long focused on inflation, public debt, taxation, exports and the energy crisis. But beneath these recurring challenges lies a deeper concern that could have lasting consequences for the country's economic future — widespread childhood malnutrition and the damage it causes to human capital, a report has said.
Nearly four in every 10 Pakistani children suffer from chronic malnutrition, according to The Express Tribune. Data from the National Nutrition Survey 2018 showed that around 40.2 per cent of children under five in Pakistan were stunted, a level that has remained stubbornly high for more than two decades.
Recent assessments by UNICEF and the World Bank indicate that progress has remained limited despite repeated policy commitments.
Stunting is not simply an indication that a child is shorter than expected for their age. It reflects prolonged nutritional deprivation during the earliest stages of life, particularly the first 1,000 days from conception to a child's second birthday.
This period is crucial for brain development, immunity, learning ability and future productivity. Prolonged undernutrition during these formative years can therefore create setbacks that extend well into adulthood.
The problem goes beyond food availability. Unsafe drinking water, poor sanitation and repeated infections can prevent children from absorbing nutrients even when adequate food is available.
Maternal malnutrition, anaemia, inadequate antenatal care and poor infant-feeding practices further increase the risk of childhood malnutrition.
UNICEF estimates that 38 per cent of Pakistani children lived in severe food poverty in 2024, consuming food from no more than two recommended food groups, the report said.
The situation has been worsened by rising food prices, climate-related crop failures, declining household incomes and limited awareness about nutrition.
For many low-income families, nutritious food competes directly with other essential household expenses. At the same time, inadequate access to clean water and sanitation exposes children to repeated illnesses, which can further worsen their nutritional condition.
The crisis is particularly pronounced in rural areas, where access to basic healthcare services remains difficult.
Mothers may have to travel long distances to reach health facilities, only to encounter vacant positions, disrupted supplies of iron and folic acid supplements or nutrition programmes that are not consistently operational.
Community health workers can identify children suffering from undernutrition, but often lack adequate therapeutic foods, supplements and effective referral mechanisms to ensure timely treatment, the report noted.
The persistent scale of childhood malnutrition poses a broader economic challenge for Pakistan, as impaired growth and development during early childhood can affect education, health, productivity and earning potential later in life.