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1 in 4 children in the world today-159 million-are stunted by >
鈥� SC Campaigns (@SC_Campaigns)

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Good nutrition is key to helping every child get the best start in life. If they don鈥檛 get the right kinds of food in their vital early years,听they can be too short for their age and their bodies and brains may never grow to their full potential.听

Being stunted can hold them back when they start school and then in work and life. If they get the right nutrition during the first 1000 days after conception, they will be better prepared later to perform well in the classroom.

But discrimination and poverty are still causing millions of children around the world to have stunted growth, according to new research by Save The Children.

The charity said yesterday the groups most likely to miss out on progress in curbing hunger include children from ethnic minorities, those in disadvantaged regions of their country, children with disabilities and children affected by war

The United Nations says there are about 159 million children whose growth has been stunted by poor nutrition and nearly half of all deaths in children under five are attributable to under-nutrition.

鈥淭he world has pledged to 鈥� eliminate all forms of听malnutrition by 2030,鈥� said Save The Children. 鈥淏ut if we carry on as we are, that simply听won鈥檛 happen.

A teacher plays with children at an early childhood development programme in Kibera, Kenya Picture: Adriane Ohanesian

鈥淯nless the world dramatically changes course, malnutrition听is here to stay.鈥�

鈥� was published as an international summit on nutrition is being held in Rio de Janeiro to coincide with the Olympic Games in Brazil,.

On current trends, said Save The Children, by 2030 there will be 129 million听children under five whose growth is stunted by lack of food.听

Of the 115 countries studied, 100 have听reduced stunting in children since 2000. Countries which have听made the most progress include Afghanistan, Vietnam, Nepal,听Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Bolivia and Ghana.

Out of 48 countries with available data on ethnicity,听children in the most disadvantaged ethnic groups had on average听2.8 times higher rates of stunting and six times higher rates of听wasting than their more advantaged peers, the report said.

In some countries the disparity was even greater. In听Nigeria, 52% of Hausa children were stunted, compared听with 14% of Igbo children.