Riya Mala 
[File Photo]
Children’s growth in the country is revealing a troubling nutrition picture that goes far beyond simple food shortages.
This was highlighted by UNICEF Pacific Nutrition Manager Penjani Kamu-doni, who said malnutrition is appearing in multiple forms and is affecting children’s physical and cognitive development.
She explains that some children are not reaching their expected height or developmental milestones, a condition known as stunting.
“But I also have to say that while here we are speaking of a form, just because that’s what we would be looking out to see, but the underlying causes and the underlying issues are similar. They all have to do with the food either not being of the right type and not in the adequate content that it is required to be.”
Kamu-doni adds that many children are also gaining far more weight than they should, becoming overweight or obese another sign of unhealthy growth patterns.
At the same time, she notes that there are children who are too thin for their height, indicating clear nutritional deficiencies.
UNICEF emphasized that when these three forms of malnutrition are considered together, the situation in Fiji points to a concerning trend in child nutrition, particularly in relation to children’s growth, even before the exact figures are examined.
Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
