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The Cost of Hunger in Africa: The Social and Economic Impact of Child Undernutrition in Malawi report shows that the country loses significant sums of money each year as a result of child undernutrition through increased healthcare costs, additional burdens to the education system and lower productivity by its workforce. It estimates that child undernutrition cost Malawi 10.3 percent of Gross Domestic Product in 2012 (most recent year with complete data).
Particularly detrimental are the consequences of stunting. Stunting (low height for age) occurs when children miss out on critical nutrients - including proteins, vitamins and minerals -- while in the womb and in the first two years of life. People affected by stunting face lifelong consequences starting in childhood such as frequent illness, poor school performance, having to repeat classes or dropping out altogether, and having low productivity at work.
According to the study, which used data from 2012 as the most recent complete set of records, 60 percent of adults in Malawi suffered from stunting as children. This represents some 4.5 million people of working age who are not able to achieve their potential as a consequence of child undernutrition. In Malawi, where two thirds of people are engaged in manual activities, it is estimated that MWK 16.5 billion (US$67 million) was lost due to the reduced productivity of those who were stunted as children.
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Source & Copyright: WFP