Almost half, or 46 per cent, of all South Asian children are
underweight – a total of 78 million. Three South Asian countries
– India, Bangladesh and Pakistan – account for half the world’s
underweight children, despite being home to just 29 per cent of
the developing world’s under-five population. More than 50,000
children die in Nepal each year, with malnutrition the
underlying cause in over 60 per cent of these deaths. Another 44
per cent of the region’s children are stunted which means they
are of a low height for their age and 15 per cent are wasted,
weighing less than would be expected for their height. Low
calorie intake, poor access to health services, and lack of
sanitation facilities all contribute to malnourished and
undernourished mothers and children, as does the gender
discrimination that marks the region. South Asia is the only
region in the world in which girls are more likely to be
underweight than boys: 47 per cent compared to 44 per cent. Lack
of education makes women unaware of how to acce