Key Facts About Malnutrition
45% of all deaths of children under the age of 5 are caused by malnutrition.
3.4 million children in the Philippines are stunted.
29% of children under 5 years old in the Philippines have iron deficiency anemia, which causes tiredness and lethargy and impedes cognitive development. Iron deficiency is caused by a lack of protein, vitamin C, and leafy greens in the diet. It can be combatted by fortified foods, such as grains and cereals.
23% of children under 5 in the Philippines are deficient in vitamin A. This is a leading cause of blindness in children. Vitamin A deficiency weakens children’s immune systems, making them vulnerable to disease and infection, increasing a child’s risk of dying from diarrhea, measles, and malaria by 20–24%. Vegetables, fortified milk, eggs, and meat are high in vitamin A. Supplements are also inexpensive and highly effective.
300,000 children in the Philippines have been born with mental impairment because their mothers did not consume enough iodine. Foods rich in iodine include eggs and dairy products, but iodized salt has played a large part in overcoming this deficiency in developed countries. Only 24% of households in the Philippines have access to this simple, inexpensive prevention.
Zinc deficiency is the fifth leading disease factor, affecting 31% of people worldwide. Zinc deficiency causes poor neurological function, a weakened immune system, diarrhea, food allergies, and thinning hair. Zinc deficiency has led to untold childhood deaths due to diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria.
Proper nutrition during childhood—the right food at the right time—can prevent many deaths, suffering, and financial loss.
ALO helps Family Circus provide up to 300,000 nutritious meals to needy kids and their families.
ALO has helped CCMP pull thousands of children from malnutrition, giving them a brighter future.
You can provide lifelines for vulnerable children in Asia Pacific.