They have an increased risk of infection. A malnourished child has a weakened immune system, making the child more vulnerable to infection. Infections cause lack of appetite and further compromise the child's ability to fight off infections.
Families are vulnerable in times of disaster. Unexpected shocks, such as crop failure, floods, epidemics, locusts or typhoons result in devastation and almost certain death to some members of the family.
Chronic hunger deprives children of the essential proteins, micronutrients and fatty acids they need to grow. Globally, it is estimated that nearly 226 million children are shorter than they should be.
In addition, stunted children score significantly lower on intelligence tests than do normal children.
For the nearly 67 million children who weigh less than they should due to chronic hunger, completing school is an unlikely reality. Studies have shown that underweight children will probably spend fewer years in school, which, in turn, has an impact on how much they earn in adulthood.