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What Is Malnutrition?

Malnutrition is commonly misperceived as a condition stemming solely from famine or severe food shortages. In truth, it encompasses any imbalance—either insufficient or excessive—in a person’s nutrient intake. Such imbalances harm the body’s tissues, composition, and overall functioning.

According to the Global Nutrition Report (2021),

“at least one in three people worldwide suffer from some form of malnutrition”,

underscoring its pervasive and complex nature.1 Moreover, global efforts to meet established nutrition targets remain inadequate, challenged by conflict, climate change, and economic downturns.2

Types of Malnutrition

Malnutrition generally takes two principal forms: undernutrition and overnutrition.

Undernutrition

Undernutrition occurs when individuals consistently consume fewer calories, proteins, vitamins, and minerals than needed. This deficiency can cause stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and significant weight loss. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that in 2020, “approximately 149 million children under the age of five were stunted due to chronic undernutrition.”3 While underweight prevalence has declined since the 1990s, these gains are insufficient, leaving pronounced regional disparities unaddressed.4

Overnutrition

Overnutrition emerges when nutrient intake—particularly excess calories, saturated fats, and sugars—surpasses daily requirements. This leads to health issues such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. The WHO notes that “worldwide obesity rates have nearly tripled since 1975, with over 650 million adults classified as obese in 2016.”5 Alarmingly, research indicates that overweight and obesity levels among children under five have been rising rapidly, posing a significant global challenge to reducing malnutrition comprehensively.6

Global Trends, Targets, and Economic Factors

Traditionally, malnutrition was linked predominantly to shortages of nutritious foods in the face of poverty, conflict, and instability. Today’s landscape is more complicated. Rapidly growing and even wealthier economies also encounter malnutrition in the form of overnutrition.

This paradox arises as the most accessible and affordable foods are often calorie-dense yet nutrient-poor—high in sugars, salts, and unhealthy fats, rather than essential vitamins and minerals.

The 2023 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report from the FAO concludes that “global progress toward nutrition targets remains off track,” highlighting the complex interplay of economic, environmental, and social factors.2

Economic pressures exacerbate the situation. Rising global food prices, stagnant wages, and government policies that subsidize staple crops for processed foods over nutrient-rich alternatives all funnel consumers toward less healthy diets.

A 2017 analysis found that U.S. adults consuming more foods derived from subsidized commodities faced a higher likelihood of obesity and metabolic risks.7 Inflation and supply chain disruptions further intensify these trends, affecting not only the world’s poorest regions but also wealthier nations contending with dietary imbalances.

Malnutrition in Children

In 2021, 4.7 million children under five died, with 2.4 million of those deaths linked to malnutrition.“8”

These fatalities do not result merely from a lack of calories. Inadequate essential vitamins and minerals stifle growth and development, crippling a child’s ability to fight off infections.

Women who do not receive vital nutrients such as iron, zinc, iodine, calcium, and vitamin B12 face heightened risks during pregnancy and childbirth.

Their infants, in turn, are more likely to be born underweight and experience developmental delays. Although a diverse, nutrient-rich diet would be the obvious solution, it remains unaffordable for many of the world’s poorest women, perpetuating a dangerous cycle of malnutrition across generations.

Moving Forward

Tackling malnutrition demands more than emergency food aid or piecemeal interventions.

Effective solutions must consider cultural contexts, economic limitations, and environmental sustainability. Strategies range from educational initiatives and agricultural diversification to improved distribution networks and reformed subsidy models.

Without international cooperation and data-driven policy decisions, meeting crucial nutrition benchmarks by 2025 and beyond will remain elusive.2

Conclusion

Malnutrition transcends simple notions of famine, affecting communities around the globe in various and often overlapping forms.

From climate-related challenges and socio-economic inequalities to the dominance of ultra-processed foods, the factors fueling malnutrition are deeply interconnected. While certain strides have been made, the persistent rise in overnutrition, combined with insufficient progress in fighting undernutrition, underscores the urgency of comprehensive solutions.

Recognizing the complexity of malnutrition and addressing its root causes will guide policymakers, healthcare providers, and communities toward ensuring that every individual can achieve a healthy, well-nourished life.

References:

  • 1. Global Nutrition Report (2021). 2021 Global Nutrition Report: The State of Global Nutrition. Development Initiatives. https://globalnutritionreport.org/.
  • 2. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2023). The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023: Global Nutrition Targets and Trends.https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/f1ee0c49-04e7-43df-9b83-6820f4f37ca9/content/state-food-security-and-nutrition-2023/global-nutrition-targets-trends.html.
  • 3. World Health Organization (2021). Malnutrition. WHO Fact Sheets. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition.
  • 4. Marczak, L. B. et al. (2022). “Assessment of national, regional, and global prevalence of obesity, overweight, and underweight in children younger than
  • 5 from 1990 to 2020: a global comparative analysis.” Scientific Reports, 12(7693). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11813-5.
  • 5. World Health Organization (2021). Obesity and Overweight. WHO Fact Sheets. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight.
  • 6. Marczak, L. B. et al. (2022). ibid
  • 7. Siegel, K. R., et al. (2017). “Commodity subsidies and the American diet: an analysis of national survey data.” JAMA Internal Medicine, 177(8): 1084–1091. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.2169.
  • 8. Our World in Data. Half of child deaths are linked to malnutrition. https://ourworldindata.org/half-child-deaths-linked-malnutrition.