Ottawa, CANADA – Each year, the levels of stunting, low birthweight and anaemia as a result of insufficient action on undernutrition leads to 1.3 million child deaths and costs US $761 billion globally, according to data from the Cost of Inaction Tool, developed by Nutrition International. These losses, which equate to an average of 0.9% of the global gross national economy, are the combined result of increased mortality, cognitive losses and additional healthcare system costs.

“This accessible, analytic tool highlights the real costs of malnutrition. Countries can see how much preventable damage is being caused by allowing the status quo to continue,” said Joel Spicer, President and CEO of Nutrition International. “By equipping governments, advocates and policy makers with data-driven insights, we hope to revitalize the nutrition community’s focus on achieving the World Health Assembly global nutrition targets.”

Nutrition International’s Cost of Inaction Tool is an innovative, evidence-based tool designed to empower policymakers, advocates and donors worldwide with the data they require to support advocacy efforts, drive policy change and encourage investments in essential nutrition interventions. The online, user-friendly tool provides quick, country-specific estimates of the health, human capital and economic costs of not addressing stunting, low birthweight and anaemia in women and children across more than 140 countries. Developed in 2023 in partnership with Limestone Analytics, with funding from the Government of Canada, the dashboard uses a standardized methodology to ensure that estimates are comparable across different countries, facilitating more effective and coordinated responses to malnutrition.

Globally, 17 million children are born with low birthweight, 146 million children under five are stunted, and 245 million suffer from anaemia each year. Additionally, more than 586 million adolescent girls and women aged 15-49 suffer from anaemia. Undernourished populations are more susceptible to preventable infections and diseases, leading to increased spending on healthcare and treatment, instead of being invested in prevention and creating better health. Likewise, malnutrition adversely impacts development, school performance and educational attainment, diminishing future workforce capabilities and hampering countries’ economic growth.

“The Cost of Inaction Tool provides a clear picture of the economic and human impact of undernutrition,” said Dylan Walters, Project Director, Health Economics Unit, Nutrition International. “It gives policymakers the data they need to prioritize nutrition in their budgets and plans and will be essential for showing the benefits of investing in nutrition, helping to save lives and boost economies.”

As the World Health Assembly (WHA) prepares to review and possibly extend the Global Nutrition Targets to 2030, the Cost of Inaction Tool will be instrumental in demonstrating to countries that the significant costs of inaction on malnutrition can be avoided through investments in proven, low-cost, high-impact nutrition interventions. For example, the tool calculates that by scaling up interventions to meet the targets by 2025, the world could generate over US $335 billion in economic benefits annually, totaling US $1.7 trillion over five years. Additionally, achieving the under-five stunting reduction target of 16.4% by 2025 could avert over 369,000 deaths and more than 8 million cases of stunting each year.

The Cost of Inaction Tool was based on an economic model developed by Dr. Michelle Gaffey and Dr. Sue Horton for Nutrition International in 2017. The tool’s methodology was developed in 2023 by Nutrition International’s Health Economic Unit in partnership with Limestone Analytics, with funding from the Government of Canada.

Nutrition International’s Health Economics unit produces advanced modelling tools and robust data to bolster the organization’s impact in addressing malnutrition. Nutrition International’s Cost of Inaction Tool equips stakeholders with essential evidence for informed decision-making. For further support, including additional analyses, tool demonstrations and technical assistance in conducting economic analyses, and developing and operationalizing costed nutrition plans and governance frameworks, please contact us at healthecon@nutritionintl.org.  

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