Malnutrition is only about being too thin   Not only does malnutrition cause a child to have low weight for their height, but it can also lead to stunting. Malnutrition can lead to illnesses Malnutrition puts children’s immune systems at risk, leading to more deaths from common childhood ailments such as diarrhoea and respiratory illnesses. The consequences of malnutrition are only health-related   Malnutrition may affect a child’s education (for example, through not being able to attend school), which can lead to longer-term detrimental effects for the individual concerned and their family, in terms of employment and income prospects.

They may also have swollen feet, limbs, hands and faces. Malnutrition is about not having the mixture of nutrients necessary for growth or good health. Children with severe acute malnutrition have very low weight for their height and severe wasting (their body breaks down muscle and fat to make energy). They may also have swollen feet, limbs, hands and faces. Urgent, life-saving care is needed. Photo © Unicef/Maule-ffinch

Stunting generally occurs before the age of two. Chronic malnutrition occurs over time and results in stunting, whereby a child’s body and brain is unable to grow and develop to its full potential. Stunting generally occurs before the age of two. It is due to a chronic lack of nutrients during a child’s first 1,000 days, from conception to second birthday. If this is not addressed early in the child’s life it cannot be reversed. Photo © Unicef/Maule-ffinch

Providing life-saving food Checking for signs of malnutrition. Making sure that a child receives the nutrients they need in the first 1,000 days of their life, to prevent stunting of growth. For example, by supporting mothers to breastfeed and by providing special supplements such as vitamins. Life-saving food photo © Unicef/Maule-ffinch Checking for signs of malnutrition photo © Unicef/Maule-ffinch First 1,000 days photo © Unicef/Matas

Under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, every child has the right to nutritious food. Film available at: https://vimeo.com/125061016

Think about how the statement or display could be adapted for Produce a statement or display to inform others about the impacts and treatment of child malnutrition, and how they can support Day for Change. Think about how the statement or display could be adapted for your school’s website a newsletter for parents Twitter a blog post. Hand out activity sheets to individual students, or assign this as a group task in fours.

 WHO is affected?   WHAT are the effects/dangers?   WHERE does it occur?   WHY does it happen?   HOW is Unicef helping to protect children from malnutrition?   HOW can we support Day for Change?