The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) says that a significant number of children in Latin America and the Caribbean are fed a minimal diverse diet noting that there has been little sign of improvement in the diets of the world’s youngest children over the last ten years.
In a new report titled “Fed to Fail?” released ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit this week, it found that rising poverty, inequality, conflict, climate-related disasters, and health emergencies are all contributing to the nutrition crisis.
“In fact, the ongoing COVID-19 disruptions could make the situation much worse,” UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said.
In an analysis of 91 countries, the report found that only half of children aged six to 23 months, are being fed the minimum recommended number of meals a day, while just a third consume the minimum number of food groups they need to thrive.
Children living in rural areas or from poorer households are also significantly more likely to be fed poor diets, compared to their urban or wealthier peers. Further analysis of 50 countries revealed these poor feeding patterns have persisted throughout the last decade.
