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LettersChild nutrition in Asia is a worthy investment

Readers discuss the region’s nutrition problem, the US’ yen intervention, and the future of Bhutan’s traditional arts

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Students pray before eating free meals supplied by an Indonesian government programme at an elementary school in Banda Aceh in 2025. Fuel and fertiliser costs may impact child nutrition in Asia, with long-term consequences. Photo: AFP
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As fuel and fertiliser costs push food prices higher across the region, families may be trading proteins, fresh produce and other nutrient-rich foods for cheaper staples. They may still consume enough calories, but diets are becoming less nutritious, with consequences that will emerge years later through lower productivity and rising healthcare costs.

The challenge is not a lack of evidence or viable models, but of conviction. Asian family offices, foundations and corporate philanthropy have the capital. What is needed now is the coordination to deploy it effectively, and the recognition that investing in nutrition is not charity, but a long-term investment in economic growth.

The urgency is clear. About one in four children under five in Asia are stunted, while millions suffer from “hidden hunger”, receiving enough calories but too few essential nutrients for healthy cognitive and physical development. Much of this damage sets in early during development, where maternal anaemia, low birthweight and poor early feeding leave effects that are difficult to reverse later.

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