DGMT

When we talk about stunting, we often focus on food. But stunting is about more than nutrition alone.

Children need nutritious food to grow and thrive, but they also need environments that support healthy development. Access to clean water, sanitation and waste removal, as well as healthier neighbourhoods and support for mothers during pregnancy, all play an important role in a child's growth, particularly during the first 1 000 days of life.

The quality and availability of these services vary widely across communities. Poverty and inequality mean that some children face far greater risks to their health and development from the very beginning.

If South Africa is to end stunting by 2030, we need to think not only about nutrition, but also about the broader social, environmental and economic conditions that shape children's growth and development.

Learn more about how service delivery influences child health and development: https://loom.ly/UYybZUM