Children at Risk: The Growing Impact of USAID Cuts on Pediatric Malnutrition and Death Rates

IF 2.8 2区 医学 Q3 NUTRITION & DIETETICS
Zainab Anfaal, Muneeb Khawar, Javed Iqbal, Shree Rath
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Without urgent intervention, the gains made in child survival and public health over the last two decades will be reversed.</p><p>According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malnutrition contributes to 45% of all child deaths worldwide. As of 2022, the numbers are staggering: 149 million children suffer from stunting (low height for age), 45 million experience wasting (low weight for height), and 37 million are overweight, highlighting a growing double burden of malnutrition (Fact sheets—Malnutrition <span>2025</span>). USAID-supported programs have historically played a pivotal role in reducing these numbers by funding community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) programs, ensuring early diagnosis and treatment; providing ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF), which offer lifesaving nutrition to children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM); and supporting food fortification initiatives to address micronutrient deficiencies like iron and vitamin A that contribute to higher child mortality rates. The withdrawal of USAID funding threatens to reverse progress in all these areas, particularly in low-income countries like Pakistan, Yemen, and South Sudan, where childhood malnutrition is already at crisis levels.</p><p>The funding cuts have already had an immediate impact, leading to increased child mortality as children suffering from malnutrition become more vulnerable to preventable diseases like diarrhea, pneumonia, and measles (FACTBOX—USAID Cuts: Why Trump's Funding Freeze Threatens Millions Worldwide <span>2025</span>). The loss of maternal and child nutrition programs will also result in higher rates of stunting and wasting, leading to lifelong health and cognitive impairments that reduce educational and economic opportunities (Savage <span>2025</span>). Furthermore, the worsening food insecurity means that many families, who rely on USAID-funded nutrition programs to access affordable and fortified food, will face greater challenges in meeting their children's nutritional needs. Experts are warning that without alternative funding sources, we may witness a catastrophic rise in malnutrition-related deaths in the coming years.</p><p>The crisis demands immediate intervention from governments, global health agencies, and private stakeholders. Emergency international funding is critical to replace USAID support. Organizations like UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank must coordinate efforts to sustain malnutrition treatment and prevention programs. Governments in high-risk countries should also increase domestic investments in child nutrition programs, while public–private partnerships should be leveraged to ensure food security and nutritional support. At the 2021 Nutrition for Growth Summit, USAID Administrator Samantha Power highlighted the importance of US investments, announcing plans to allocate up to $11 billion over 3 years to combat global malnutrition—the underlying cause of almost half of childhood deaths globally (U.S. Agency for International Development [USAID] <span>2025</span>).</p><p>Strengthening community-based nutrition programs is another essential step. Expanding nutrition education initiatives on breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and hygiene will help prevent malnutrition-related infections. Scaling up CMAM programs will enable earlier identification and treatment of children at risk. Moreover, timely distribution of RUTF and fortified foods must be prioritized in high-burden regions to prevent further escalation.</p><p>Finally, policy interventions and advocacy are necessary. Global leaders must advocate for the restoration of USAID funding for malnutrition programs, and national governments should prioritize food fortification and school feeding programs. Long-term solutions such as improving food systems and maternal health care should also be part of the agenda, aiming to reduce reliance on external aid in the future. Experts have voiced urgent concerns about the impact of the USAID funding freeze on global health programs, calling for immediate intervention from governments, international agencies, and private stakeholders to sustain these vital initiatives (Medical Experts Concerned About USAID Spending Cuts Could Impact Global Health Programs <span>2025</span>).</p><p>The loss of USAID funding for malnutrition programs is a direct threat to the health and survival of millions of children worldwide. Without immediate intervention, the progress made in reducing child mortality and malnutrition will be undone. The global community must act swiftly to bridge the funding gap, implement sustainable solutions, and prevent a worsening humanitarian disaster. The lives of millions of children depend on it.</p>","PeriodicalId":51112,"journal":{"name":"Maternal and Child Nutrition","volume":"21 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mcn.70028","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Maternal and Child Nutrition","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mcn.70028","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"NUTRITION & DIETETICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0

Abstract

The recent withdrawal of USAID funding has intensified a growing humanitarian crisis, disproportionately affecting the world's most vulnerable children under five suffering from malnutrition. For decades, USAID-funded nutrition programs have been a critical lifeline, providing food aid, maternal health support, and emergency nutrition interventions. With the sudden loss of this support, millions of children now face an increased risk of severe malnutrition, developmental delays, and death from preventable causes. Without urgent intervention, the gains made in child survival and public health over the last two decades will be reversed.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malnutrition contributes to 45% of all child deaths worldwide. As of 2022, the numbers are staggering: 149 million children suffer from stunting (low height for age), 45 million experience wasting (low weight for height), and 37 million are overweight, highlighting a growing double burden of malnutrition (Fact sheets—Malnutrition 2025). USAID-supported programs have historically played a pivotal role in reducing these numbers by funding community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) programs, ensuring early diagnosis and treatment; providing ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF), which offer lifesaving nutrition to children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM); and supporting food fortification initiatives to address micronutrient deficiencies like iron and vitamin A that contribute to higher child mortality rates. The withdrawal of USAID funding threatens to reverse progress in all these areas, particularly in low-income countries like Pakistan, Yemen, and South Sudan, where childhood malnutrition is already at crisis levels.

The funding cuts have already had an immediate impact, leading to increased child mortality as children suffering from malnutrition become more vulnerable to preventable diseases like diarrhea, pneumonia, and measles (FACTBOX—USAID Cuts: Why Trump's Funding Freeze Threatens Millions Worldwide 2025). The loss of maternal and child nutrition programs will also result in higher rates of stunting and wasting, leading to lifelong health and cognitive impairments that reduce educational and economic opportunities (Savage 2025). Furthermore, the worsening food insecurity means that many families, who rely on USAID-funded nutrition programs to access affordable and fortified food, will face greater challenges in meeting their children's nutritional needs. Experts are warning that without alternative funding sources, we may witness a catastrophic rise in malnutrition-related deaths in the coming years.

The crisis demands immediate intervention from governments, global health agencies, and private stakeholders. Emergency international funding is critical to replace USAID support. Organizations like UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank must coordinate efforts to sustain malnutrition treatment and prevention programs. Governments in high-risk countries should also increase domestic investments in child nutrition programs, while public–private partnerships should be leveraged to ensure food security and nutritional support. At the 2021 Nutrition for Growth Summit, USAID Administrator Samantha Power highlighted the importance of US investments, announcing plans to allocate up to $11 billion over 3 years to combat global malnutrition—the underlying cause of almost half of childhood deaths globally (U.S. Agency for International Development [USAID] 2025).

Strengthening community-based nutrition programs is another essential step. Expanding nutrition education initiatives on breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and hygiene will help prevent malnutrition-related infections. Scaling up CMAM programs will enable earlier identification and treatment of children at risk. Moreover, timely distribution of RUTF and fortified foods must be prioritized in high-burden regions to prevent further escalation.

Finally, policy interventions and advocacy are necessary. Global leaders must advocate for the restoration of USAID funding for malnutrition programs, and national governments should prioritize food fortification and school feeding programs. Long-term solutions such as improving food systems and maternal health care should also be part of the agenda, aiming to reduce reliance on external aid in the future. Experts have voiced urgent concerns about the impact of the USAID funding freeze on global health programs, calling for immediate intervention from governments, international agencies, and private stakeholders to sustain these vital initiatives (Medical Experts Concerned About USAID Spending Cuts Could Impact Global Health Programs 2025).

The loss of USAID funding for malnutrition programs is a direct threat to the health and survival of millions of children worldwide. Without immediate intervention, the progress made in reducing child mortality and malnutrition will be undone. The global community must act swiftly to bridge the funding gap, implement sustainable solutions, and prevent a worsening humanitarian disaster. The lives of millions of children depend on it.

处于危险中的儿童:美国国际开发署削减对儿童营养不良和死亡率的影响越来越大。
美国国际开发署最近撤回资金,加剧了日益严重的人道主义危机,对世界上最脆弱的五岁以下儿童造成了不成比例的影响,这些儿童正遭受营养不良的折磨。几十年来,美国国际开发署资助的营养项目一直是重要的生命线,提供食品援助、孕产妇保健支持和紧急营养干预措施。由于这种支持的突然丧失,数百万儿童现在面临严重营养不良、发育迟缓和死于可预防原因的风险增加。如果不采取紧急干预措施,过去二十年来在儿童生存和公共卫生方面取得的成就将会逆转。根据世界卫生组织(世卫组织)的数据,营养不良占全世界儿童死亡总数的45%。截至2022年,这一数字令人震惊:1.49亿儿童发育迟缓(与年龄相比身高偏低),4500万儿童消瘦(与身高相比体重偏低),3700万儿童超重,突显出营养不良的双重负担日益加重(情况介绍- 2025年营养不良)。美国国际开发署支持的项目历来在减少这些数字方面发挥了关键作用,通过资助基于社区的急性营养不良管理项目,确保早期诊断和治疗;提供即食食疗食品(RUTF),为患有严重急性营养不良的儿童提供挽救生命的营养;支持食品强化举措,解决导致儿童死亡率升高的铁和维生素A等微量营养素缺乏问题。美国国际开发署资金的撤回有可能逆转所有这些领域的进展,特别是在巴基斯坦、也门和南苏丹等低收入国家,这些国家的儿童营养不良已经处于危机水平。资金削减已经产生了直接影响,导致儿童死亡率上升,因为营养不良的儿童更容易患上腹泻、肺炎和麻疹等可预防疾病(factbox -美国国际开发署削减:为什么特朗普的资金冻结威胁到2025年全球数百万人)。孕产妇和儿童营养方案的缺失还将导致发育迟缓和消瘦率上升,导致终身健康和认知障碍,减少教育和经济机会(Savage 2025)。此外,日益恶化的粮食不安全状况意味着,许多依靠美国国际开发署资助的营养项目获得负担得起的强化食品的家庭,在满足孩子的营养需求方面将面临更大的挑战。专家警告说,如果没有其他资金来源,我们可能会在未来几年看到与营养不良有关的死亡人数出现灾难性的上升。这场危机要求各国政府、全球卫生机构和私人利益攸关方立即进行干预。紧急国际资金对于取代美国国际开发署的支持至关重要。联合国儿童基金会、世界卫生组织和世界银行等组织必须协调努力,以维持营养不良的治疗和预防方案。高风险国家的政府还应增加对儿童营养项目的国内投资,同时利用公私伙伴关系来确保粮食安全和营养支持。在2021年营养促进增长峰会上,美国国际开发署署长萨曼莎·鲍尔(Samantha Power)强调了美国投资的重要性,宣布计划在三年内拨款110亿美元,以对抗全球营养不良——这是全球近一半儿童死亡的根本原因(美国国际开发署[USAID] 2025)。加强社区营养计划是另一个重要步骤。扩大关于母乳喂养、补充喂养和卫生的营养教育倡议将有助于预防与营养不良有关的感染。扩大CMAM项目将能够更早地发现和治疗处于危险中的儿童。此外,必须优先在高负担地区及时分发RUTF和强化食品,以防止疫情进一步升级。最后,政策干预和宣传是必要的。全球领导人必须倡导恢复美国国际开发署对营养不良项目的资助,各国政府应该优先考虑食品强化和学校供餐项目。改善粮食系统和孕产妇保健等长期解决方案也应该成为议程的一部分,旨在减少未来对外部援助的依赖。专家们对美国国际开发署资金冻结对全球卫生项目的影响表示了迫切的担忧,呼吁政府、国际机构和私人利益相关者立即进行干预,以维持这些重要的举措(医学专家担心美国国际开发署削减开支可能影响2025年全球卫生项目)。美国国际开发署对营养不良项目的资金损失直接威胁到全世界数百万儿童的健康和生存。如果不立即采取干预措施,在降低儿童死亡率和营养不良方面取得的进展将功亏一篑。 国际社会必须迅速采取行动,弥补资金缺口,实施可持续解决方案,防止人道主义灾难恶化。数百万儿童的生命依赖于此。
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来源期刊
Maternal and Child Nutrition
Maternal and Child Nutrition 医学-小儿科
CiteScore
7.70
自引率
8.80%
发文量
144
审稿时长
6-12 weeks
期刊介绍: Maternal & Child Nutrition addresses fundamental aspects of nutrition and its outcomes in women and their children, both in early and later life, and keeps its audience fully informed about new initiatives, the latest research findings and innovative ways of responding to changes in public attitudes and policy. Drawing from global sources, the Journal provides an invaluable source of up to date information for health professionals, academics and service users with interests in maternal and child nutrition. Its scope includes pre-conception, antenatal and postnatal maternal nutrition, women''s nutrition throughout their reproductive years, and fetal, neonatal, infant, child and adolescent nutrition and their effects throughout life.
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