A new global report has revealed that child malnutrition remains a persistent threat to millions of children under five, with progress slowing or reversing in many regions. The Joint Malnutrition Estimates 2025 Edition, released by UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Bank Group, presents data spanning from 2000 to 2024, covering critical indicators such as stunting, wasting, severe wasting, and childhood overweight.The findings paint a troubling picture. An estimated 150.2 million children under five have experienced stunting over the last two decades, while 42.8 million suffered from wasting, including 12.2 million with severe wasting. In addition, 35.5 million children globally are overweight, marking a rise of 2.4 million since 2000. “After decades of progress, we are seeing a dangerous stagnation and even reversal in some child nutrition indicators,” the report warns.Stunting, a condition that impairs physical growth and brain development, remains concentrated in Asia and Africa. Asia accounts for 51% of all stunted children, while Africa follows with 43%. Alarmingly, Africa is the only region where the number of stunted children has increased, rising from 61.7 million in 2012 to 64.8 million in 2024.Wasting, the most life-threatening form of malnutrition, continues to affect millions, putting children at immediate risk of death. Meanwhile, overweight and obesity—driven by poor food environments, aggressive marketing of unhealthy foods, and sedentary lifestyles—are emerging as rising threats to child health. Despite global commitments, the report finds that fewer than one-third of countries are on track to meet the 2030 global targets for reducing stunting, and just 17% are making progress on reducing childhood overweight.The report also highlights gaps in data collection, especially in low-income regions, which hampers efforts to track and respond to child malnutrition effectively. UNICEF warns that without urgent and intensified global action, “the world risks losing an entire generation’s potential.” The agencies call for sustained investments in nutrition, strengthened monitoring systems, and the creation of healthier food environments to reverse these worrying trends and secure a healthier future for all children.-URNThe post New Global Report on Child Malnutrition Show Increasing Stunting Rates in Africa appeared first on Business Focus.