Basically, malnutrition is a consequence of disease and inadequate food intake, but there are many other things that come into play as well.
Poverty, discrimination and violence against women are major causes of malnutrition. An inadequate diet (monotonous, little diversified, and of low quality, that is to say one which does not contain the necessary vitamins and minerals, lack of animal or vegetable proteins) of the mother and her child can have consequences on early childhood development.
Recurrent diseases (diarrhea, malaria, etc.), the unhealthy environment, household food insecurity, insufficient health and sanitation services, and the poor quality of care provided to children and women also constitute significant causes of malnutrition.
The consequences are not only the deaths of children, but also that of women following anemia.