Fed to Fail?
The crisis of children’s diets in early life
Highlights
Nutritious food in the earliest years of life is the cornerstone of a child’s development. Yet 2 in 3 children between the ages of 6 months to two years are not getting the nutritious diets they need to grow well.
For the first time, UNICEF’s flagship report examines the latest data and evidence on the status, trends and inequities in the diets of young children aged 6–23 months, and the barriers to nutritious, safe and age-appropriate diets.
New analysis presented in the global report shows that the world is failing to feed children well during the time in their lives when it matters most – before two years of age. It draws on a range of evidence sources, including regional analyses and real-life experiences of mothers across different countries, to highlight the most salient barriers to good diets for young children. The report outlines key actions for decision makers to make nutritious diets a reality for every child.
- The report’s Brief summarizes eight key findings and calls on governments and partners for collective efforts to transform food, health, and social protection systems by leading ten key actions. The brief is available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Portuguese.
- The Child Nutrition Report Data Tables present detailed data on diets of young children at the country, regional and global levels.
- Updated infant and young child feeding database (see the brief explainer video below)
- Feeding my Child: How mothers experience nutrition across the world provides unique insights into the feeding challenges many families face today.
