The Long-Term Effects of Hunger on a Child’s Future
By Amanda DeWitt
Around the globe hunger and malnutrition claim lives and cripple communities. Children, women, and all people living in poverty are especially vulnerable.
As many as half of children under five worldwide lack access to the nutrition they need to properly grow and thrive. Roughly 45 percent of deaths in children under five are related to improper nutrition.
The effects of hunger and malnutrition can last a lifetime. However, some studies also suggest that with age-appropriate intervention, many of the negative effects can be drastically reduced.
Physical Development
Improper nutrition can affect children from birth.
- Globally more than 149 million children under five are stunted — meaning they lacked the proper nutrition to achieve their full height potential.
- More than 45 million children experience wasting. Without enough protein and calories, they are unable to put on adequate weight.
- They often lack proper muscle mass and healthy fat.
- They may experience other visible effects such as hair loss and discoloration or skin depigmentation.
Beneath the surface malnutrition also inhibits the immune system. It decreases one’s capacity to fight against common diseases, and many people experience recurring infections. The body’s strain to stay healthy may further deplete a child’s essential nutrients and further inhibit their growth.
The physical effects of malnutrition strongly correlate to other cognitive effects — preventing children from reaching their full potential.
Cognitive Development
When a child experiences stunting or wasting, it often impairs their cognitive development as well. Protein is essential for proper brain development, especially early in life. When a child lacks access to adequate protein and other essential nutrients, it may lead to poor cognitive performance and other behavioral issues.
Children who are malnourished early in life can go on to suffer from decreased IQ. They may also experience poor academic performance, struggle with attention deficit disorders, and lack executive control.
As a result of struggles to focus and learn in the classroom, adolescent children may also have lower national test scores. These challenges can follow them well into adulthood as they continue to suffer the effects of attention disorders and a lower IQ — ultimately limiting their opportunities to secure adequate employment and income to provide for themselves and their families.
As large numbers of people in an area are affected by malnutrition, the success of entire communities is hindered by the long-term effects of hunger.
Emotional Development
Suffering during childhood can have long-term emotional and psychological effects. Children who struggle with hunger and malnutrition often live in poverty, which creates additional challenges that can impair their development and future success.
Many children growing up in extreme poverty lack access to healthy developmental environments. Often they do not have the opportunity to engage in healthy childhood play or to adequately interact with their peers. Their parents may work multiple jobs to help provide for the family — limiting the amount of care and interaction young children receive. As a result, they may experience challenges with gross motor and language development.
Children who continue to suffer from daily hunger often struggle in school. The physical effects they experience interrupt their focus, and may even cause fainting and other symptoms, that further impair learning in the classroom and affect their overall self-esteem.
Severe hunger and malnutrition are also known to cause a variety of psychological issues ranging from anxiety and depression to more severe mental illnesses. These issues can affect children and also carry into adulthood.
The long-term effects of hunger are harsh. No one wants a child to suffer or fail to reach their full potential. But together we can make a difference. Early intervention is key.
By providing lifesaving meals to families facing food insecurity and famine, we can ensure they have the nutrition they need to thrive and build a better future. We can also tell them about the hope of Jesus — impacting lives now and for eternity.
You Can Make a Difference on World Food Day
Around the world 733 million people face hunger each day. Because of wars, disasters, economic shocks, and other crises, they cannot afford or access the nutrition they need to survive and thrive. On World Food Day, you can make a difference by joining Unto for the Pass2Provide challenge — and help turn hunger into hope for people in the toughest places.
Originally published February 25, 2022; revised September 20, 2024
Amanda is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Gift for Leadership, Kindred Spirit, and Christianity Today publications. She holds a M.A. in Media and Communication from Dallas Theological Seminary.
