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Is it fair that billions of dollars are being spent on building a skyscraper while
urgent action is needed to help 200 million children suffering from undernutrion?

According to a new UNICEF report, approximately 200 million children in the developing world suffer from stunted growth as a result of chronic undernutrition, which contributes to more than a third of all deaths in children under five.

Undernutrition is often invisible until it is severe, and children who appear healthy may be at grave risk of serious and even permanent damage to their health and development.

The good news is that reducing and even eliminating undernutrition is entirely feasible. Huge strides have been made in the delivery cost-effective solutions, including micronutrients, to vulnerable populations worldwide.

For example, significant progress has been made in providing children with access to iodized salt and vitamin A supplements, and this has contributed to reduced infant and child mortality. In the world's least developed countries, the percentage of children under five years receiving essential doses of vitamin A supplement has more than doubled, from 41 percent in 2000 to 88 percent in 2008

Chris Niles, UNICEF

NEW YORK (November 13, 2009) — As the number of hungry and malnourished people passes 1 billion, a new UNICEF report identifies undernutrition as one of the major causes of death among young children.
The "Tracking Progress on Child and Maternal Nutrition ," report states that undernutrition in mothers and children is a factor in a third of all deaths of children under five. At the same time, the global financial crisis and rising food prices have left many more families struggling to put nutritious food on the table.
"The report we have launched draws attention to the fact that 200 million children under the age of five in the developing world suffer from chronic undernutrition. That's a very high number," said UNICEF Associate Director of Nutrition Werner Schultink.
As the report shows, the problem is concentrated in just a few regions, and 80 percent of all chronically undernourished children are found in just 24 countries. Among children who suffer from stunting—a consequence of chronic nutritional deprivation that begins before birth if the mother "An important factor in almost all of these countries is the situation of women," noted Schultink. "Women do not have enough decision-making power to either take care of themselves or of their children and, in general, are seen as lower-class citizens."

Inadequate nutrition in early childhood makes children more susceptible to diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhea—and it can impair them for life.
Undernourished children "will perform less well in school, they will be able to do less well as an adult and, even worse, their health situation in adult life may be negatively affected," said Schultink. "They are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases such as heart disease or diabetes