Child growth failure: About one million children worldwide died before turning five in 2023 due to factors linked to poor growth, including being underweight, stunted, or wasted, according to a new study based on the latest global health estimates. India reported more than 100,000 of these deaths, placing it among the countries with the heaviest burden.
Nigeria recorded the highest number of under-five deaths associated with child growth failure at around 188,000. India ranked second, while the Democratic Republic of Congo was third with more than 50,000 deaths. Researchers said child growth failure significantly increases the risk of death and disability from common childhood illnesses such as lower respiratory infections, diarrhoeal diseases, malaria and measles.
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The analysis drew on data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, which assesses health loss from diseases, injuries and risk factors across more than 200 countries and territories. The findings show long-term progress: global deaths linked to poor child growth have dropped sharply from about 2.75 million in 2000 to roughly 0.8 million in 2023. However, the study highlighted that the impact remains heavily concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, with these regions together accounting for the majority of deaths tied to growth failure.
The authors estimated that child growth failure was associated with 79.4 million disability-adjusted life years lost and about 880,000 deaths in children under five in 2023. Being underweight accounted for the largest share of deaths in this age group, followed by wasting and stunting.
Researchers said the drivers behind poor child growth are complex and cumulative, including feeding challenges, food insecurity, inadequate sanitation, climate pressures and conflict. They stressed that no single solution will work everywhere and called for tailored strategies that strengthen maternal health, improve nutrition and reduce infection risks early in life.
The study also noted that many stunted infants show signs of growth failure within the first three months, underscoring the importance of interventions before and during pregnancy and in the earliest months after birth.