CHILD MALNUTRITION: A LITERATURE REVIEW FROM A HEALTH PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Child malnutrition represents a major public health challenge, particularly in developing countries, due to its negative impact on physical growth, cognitive development, and immune function in children. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) indicate that millions of children under five years of age still experience different forms of malnutrition, associated with factors such as poverty, food insecurity, low educational level of caregivers, and inadequate sanitation conditions. This study aimed to gather and discuss the main scientific evidence available on child malnutrition from a public health perspective. This is a narrative literature review conducted through searches in the SciELO, PubMed, LILACS, and Google Scholar databases, using the descriptors “child malnutrition,” “public health,” “child nutrition,” “food security,” and “nutrition education.” Articles published in the last ten years in Portuguese, English, and Spanish were included, as well as official documents from the WHO, UNICEF, and the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Priority was given to studies presenting epidemiological data, multidisciplinary analyses, and intervention proposals, whose information was organized into thematic categories after critical reading. The findings indicate that child malnutrition is a multifactorial phenomenon determined by adverse socioeconomic, environmental, and cultural contexts, highlighting the need for intersectoral strategies. It is concluded that strengthening integrated public policies focused on promoting food and nutrition security and health education is essential to reduce child malnutrition and ensure full child development.