Tag: Malnutrition facts

Nearly half of all deaths among children under the age of five are linked to undernutrition, a critical component of malnutrition. However, the mortality rate for malnutrition is not a single number, but varies significantly depending on age, severity, and the presence of co-existing illnesses. This article explores the complex factors that influence malnutrition mortality rates, highlighting key statistics and the populations most at risk.

While severe, isolated protein deficiency is rare, the broader condition of Protein-Energy Malnutrition (PEM) is a major contributor to global mortality. A 2022 analysis cited over 212,000 recorded PEM-related deaths in 2019 alone, highlighting the devastating scale of how many people have died from protein deficiency.

According to the World Food Programme, an estimated 8.3 percent of the global population, or 673 million people, faced hunger in 2024. These statistics provide a critical look into what percent of the global population is malnourished and highlight the multifaceted nature of food insecurity and nutritional health worldwide.

Globally, in 2022, 149 million children under five were stunted and 45 million were wasted, while 37 million were overweight, highlighting that what is true about malnutrition is that it encompasses deficiencies, excesses, and imbalances. Malnutrition is a complex health issue that is frequently misunderstood.