Attachments
Introduction
The right nutrition at the right time is essential for child survival, health and development. Well-nourished children are much more equipped to grow and learn, act as productive members of society, and respond well in combatting disease, disasters and other global crises. Poor nutrition, by the same logic, impacts on health, education and wellbeing through generations.
Critically, the diets of Pakistani children require substantially more diversity and, in most cases, lack sufficient calories. A focus on quality of diet is essential to preventing stunting, wasting and other forms of malnutrition.
Current Nutrition Situation
In 2024, Pakistan continues to face significant challenges in nutrition and food security. Despite some progress, the country still struggles with high rates of malnutrition and food insecurity. High food prices, climatic shocks, and reduced livelihood opportunities contribute to acute food insecurity. Around 7.9 million people (22% of the population) are facing high levels of acute food insecurity. This situation is expected to improve slightly post-harvest season.
Pakistan faces major challenges in meeting the food security and nutrition targets of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, by 2030. Only 38 per cent of children are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. Over 40% of children under five years are stunted (measured height was too short for their age); 17.7% are wasted, (too thin for their height); 28.9% are underweight; while more than half are anemic and suffering from deficiencies in essential nutrients and vitamins such as iron (28.6%), zinc (18.6 %), vitamin A (51.5%) and vitamin D (62.7%); while 9.5% are overweight or obese. The National Nutrition Survey 2018 revealed persistently high rates of undernutrition along with an emerging trend of being overweight and obese.
Wasting is extremely high in Pakistan, with several areas in the country considered to be at emergency level of wasting. While programs to care and treat severe acute malnutrition are highly effective in Pakistan, achieving cure rates above global standards, they are covering a fraction of the total numbers of malnourished children.
Linking mass media with interpersonal communication community-based strategies, micronutrient supplementation and fortification, to assist all levels of government in addressing these issues, in alignment with the government’s nutrition plans and Vision 2025, among other key strategy documents