Undernutrition contributes to 45 percent of deaths among children under five. Global wasting prevalence stands at 6.9 percent. Exclusive breastfeeding reaches only 44 percent of infants under six months while vitamin and mineral deficiencies affect 1.7 billion children and women.
Key Takeaways
- 2021–2022 reductions in child wasting were not achieved for many countries; global wasting prevalence is estimated at 6.9% in 2022
- The global ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) market size was $1.7 billion in 2023 (global market research estimate)
- The global baby food market size was $89.6 billion in 2023 (IMARC Group estimate)
- Global exclusive breastfeeding rate for infants under 6 months was 44% in 2023
- 70% of children aged 6–23 months globally are breastfed
- As of 2022, 64% of countries report that they have policies or legislation to protect breastmilk substitutes (including regulation of marketing)
- Undernutrition contributes to 45% of deaths in children under 5 globally (UNICEF nutrition action estimates)
- Stunting is associated with an average 10% reduction in adult productivity per study synthesis (Lancet child stunting series evidence)
- Iron deficiency is estimated to be responsible for 1.7 billion cases globally (WHO)
- 1.7 billion children and women were affected by vitamin and mineral deficiencies globally (micronutrient “hidden hunger”) — indicates large-scale micronutrient risk.
- Approximately 30% of children under 5 globally have low height for their age — indicates stunting prevalence (chronic undernutrition).
- Iron deficiency affects about 25% of the world’s population — a key driver of anemia risk for children and other groups.
- In 2022, 22% of children aged 6–23 months received at least one food from each of the four or more food groups — minimum dietary diversity share.
- In 2019, 36% of children under 2 months were fed with colostrum — measures early-life feeding practice important for nutrition.
- In 2022, 60% of children aged 6–23 months had access to food from at least two food groups — a proxy measure for dietary diversity.
Undernutrition remains widespread, with child wasting stalled and billions needing better feeding and micronutrients.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size7 stats
01
2021–2022 reductions in child wasting were not achieved for many countries; global wasting prevalence is estimated at 6.9% in 2022https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/topics/child-malnutrition
02
The global ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) market size was $1.7 billion in 2023 (global market research estimate)https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/ready-to-use-therapeutic-food-market-107828
03
The global baby food market size was $89.6 billion in 2023 (IMARC Group estimate)https://www.imarcgroup.com/baby-food-market
04
The global pediatric nutrition market size was $9.6 billion in 2023 (MarketsandMarkets estimate)https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/pediatric-nutrition-market-199754605.html
05
The global nutritional supplements market size was $177.1 billion in 2023 (Grand View Research estimate)https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/nutritional-supplements-market-report
06
The global fortified foods market is projected to reach $66.3 billion by 2030 (Allied Market Research projection)https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/fortified-foods-market
07
The global powdered infant formula market size was $41.8 billion in 2022 (ReportLinker listing citing market research data)https://www.reportlinker.com/p06489745/Powdered-Infant-Formula-Market.html
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
From a market-size perspective, the childhood nutrition landscape is already substantial and expanding, with 2023 sales reaching $89.6 billion for baby food and $177.1 billion for nutritional supplements alongside a $1.7 billion ready-to-use therapeutic food market, while fortified foods are projected to grow to $66.3 billion by 2030.
02 · Category
Behavior & Practices5 stats
01
Global exclusive breastfeeding rate for infants under 6 months was 44% in 2023https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-nutrition/exclusive-breastfeeding/
02
70% of children aged 6–23 months globally are breastfedhttps://data.unicef.org/topic/child-nutrition/feeding/
03
As of 2022, 64% of countries report that they have policies or legislation to protect breastmilk substitutes (including regulation of marketing)https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240025257
04
In 2019, 30.2% of U.S. infants aged 0–5 months were exclusively breastfed (NHANES)https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db448.pdf
05
In 2019, 9.2% of U.S. children aged 2–4 years had consumed sugary drinks on the day prior to the interview (NHANES)https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db439.pdf
Interpretation
Behavior & Practices Interpretation
Behavior and practices around feeding show progress but clear gaps, with only 44% of infants under 6 months exclusively breastfed globally in 2023 and just 30.2% of U.S. infants doing so in 2019 while 9.2% of U.S. children ages 2 to 4 drank sugary drinks the prior day.
03 · Category
Costs & Outcomes6 stats
01
Undernutrition contributes to 45% of deaths in children under 5 globally (UNICEF nutrition action estimates)https://www.unicef.org/media/122756/file/UNICEF%20Nutrition%20Action%20Program.pdf
02
Stunting is associated with an average 10% reduction in adult productivity per study synthesis (Lancet child stunting series evidence)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(16)31694-3/fulltext
03
Iron deficiency is estimated to be responsible for 1.7 billion cases globally (WHO)https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/topics/anaemia_in_women_and_children
04
Biofortification programs can improve iron intake; a meta-analysis reports an average increase of 1.2–1.8 mg/day of iron absorption in target populations (review evidence)https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/104/6/1528S/4596427
05
For children, exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months can reduce mortality by about 13% (systematic review estimate in Lancet)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(13)70355-3/fulltext
06
A 2013 systematic review found that supplementation with multiple micronutrients reduces anemia by about 30% in childrenhttps://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(13)60724-8/fulltext
Interpretation
Costs & Outcomes Interpretation
From a Costs and Outcomes perspective, childhood nutrition problems are linked to major losses in survival and long term productivity, including undernutrition driving 45% of under five deaths globally and stunting cutting adult productivity by an average 10%.
More related reading
04 · Category
Public Health Burden5 stats
01
1.7 billion children and women were affected by vitamin and mineral deficiencies globally (micronutrient “hidden hunger”) — indicates large-scale micronutrient risk.https://www.fao.org/3/cc2641en/cc2641en.pdf
02
Approximately 30% of children under 5 globally have low height for their age — indicates stunting prevalence (chronic undernutrition).https://www.fao.org/3/i4573e/i4573e.pdf
03
Iron deficiency affects about 25% of the world’s population — a key driver of anemia risk for children and other groups.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579561/
04
Zinc deficiency contributes to an estimated 136,000 deaths per year in children under 5 — highlights the mortality burden linked to inadequate zinc.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673619300583
05
About 1 in 4 children worldwide under 5 are affected by stunting — indicates chronic undernutrition prevalence.https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition
Interpretation
Public Health Burden Interpretation
With 1 in 4 children under 5 affected by stunting and vitamin and mineral “hidden hunger” reaching 1.7 billion children and women globally, childhood nutrition remains a major public health burden tied to chronic undernutrition and widespread micronutrient deficiencies.
05 · Category
Feeding Practices3 stats
01
In 2022, 22% of children aged 6–23 months received at least one food from each of the four or more food groups — minimum dietary diversity share.https://www.unicef.org/media/131351/file/UNICEF%20-%20Complementary%20Feeding%20-%20Statistical%20Brief.pdf
02
In 2019, 36% of children under 2 months were fed with colostrum — measures early-life feeding practice important for nutrition.https://data.unicef.org/resources/dataset/breastfeeding/
03
In 2022, 60% of children aged 6–23 months had access to food from at least two food groups — a proxy measure for dietary diversity.https://www.fao.org/3/cc2658en/cc2658en.pdf
Interpretation
Feeding Practices Interpretation
For the Feeding Practices category, the data shows that while 60% of children aged 6 to 23 months have access to food from at least two food groups, only 22% receive at least one food from four or more groups, pointing to a major gap in dietary diversity.
06 · Category
Policy & Program Economics4 stats
01
The cost of a package of nutrition-specific interventions for 2020–2030 is estimated at about $7per child per year on average in high-burden settings (2013–2020 costing context) — illustrates investment needs.https://www.ifpri.org/publication/costing-nutrition-interventions-2013-2020
02
$49 billion per year would be required to scale up nutrition interventions globally to reach 2030 goals — investment gap estimate.https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241515153
03
In 2023, UNICEF procured more than 0.5 million metric tons of therapeutic nutrition products (RUTF/RUSF) — bulk supply scale.https://www.unicef.org/media/142691/file/UNICEF-Annual-Report-2023.pdf
04
Micronutrient powders (MNP) are used in programs to deliver iron and other micronutrients; UNICEF reports distributing 3.1 billion sachets in 2022 — program supply volume.https://www.unicef.org/media/133131/file/UNICEF_annual_report_2022.pdf
Interpretation
Policy & Program Economics Interpretation
From a Policy & Program Economics perspective, meeting 2030 nutrition goals is projected to require an investment gap of about $49 billion per year, even though typical nutrition-specific interventions cost roughly $7 per child annually, with UNICEF scaling delivery through massive procurement such as over 0.5 million metric tons of therapeutic products in 2023 and distributing 3.1 billion sachets of micronutrient powders.
report visual · Comparison
Childhood nutrition: key breastfeeding and dietary gaps
Global breastfeeding and minimum dietary diversity remain far from universal, even as some countries strengthen protections for breastmilk substitutes.
70% of children aged 6–23 months globally are breastfed70%
In 2022, 60% of children aged 6–23 months had access to food from at least two food groups — a proxy measure for dietary
60%
Global exclusive breastfeeding rate for infants under 6 months was 44% in 2023
44%
In 2022, 22% of children aged 6–23 months received at least one food from each of the four or more food groups — minimum
22%
source-verifieddata.unicef.org · unicef.org · fao.org2023
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Gabrielle Fontaine. (2026, February 13). Childhood Nutrition Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/childhood-nutrition-statistics
MLA
Gabrielle Fontaine. "Childhood Nutrition Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/childhood-nutrition-statistics.
Chicago
Gabrielle Fontaine. 2026. "Childhood Nutrition Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/childhood-nutrition-statistics.
Sources & references
30 datasets cited across this report
+14 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)