Childhood malnutrition is a significant and growing problem. In 1998, 226 million children were stunted worldwide and 183 million were underweight. Malnutrition is associated with the deaths of more than 6 million preschool children each year. Survivors may be disabled and are vulnerable to illness. Malnutrition further severely hampers the ability of millions of children to learn. Stunting and wasting, iron and vitamin A deficiencies-- all affect national GDPs, and waste untold man/woman-years of productivity. The chronic conditions of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes are also linked with the malnutrition of poverty.

The role of nongovernmental organizations, governments, and nutrition experts is important to the current and future nutritional status of children. The staff of nutrition programs join and support parents and caregivers in taking responsibility for how children grow and the subsequent effects on children’s intellectual attainment, on their coordination and balance, on height, and much more. As children graduate out of child survival and child health programs at the age of five, what benefits they have gained will follow them the rest of their lives, and on into their children’s lives.