STOCKHOLM (Stockholm Center for Freedom) — A recent study presented at the Turkish Pediatrics Congress last week revealed that one in every five children under the age of five in Turkey suffers from malnutrition, the Diken news website reported this month
According to the study, most children in this age group regularly consumed junk food and sugary drinks, while only 10 percent had a daily intake of nutritious foods such as dairy, meat and vegetables.
The study found that a family’s income significantly influenced the nutritional quality of food available to children.
Dr. Özgür Kasapçopur, president of the Turkish Pediatrics Institute, said children faced significant challenges due to deepening poverty in Turkey. He emphasized that nutrition in the first five years of life was not only essential for growth and development but also for building a strong immune system, supporting intellectual growth and ensuring the healthy functioning of all organs.
Dr. Fügen Çullu Çokuğraş said many children suffering from malnutrition were from regions hit by the February 6, 2023 earthquakes and that worsening economic conditions made it difficult for families to afford adequate food. Although doctors provided nutritional solutions such as milk-based supplements, families often struggled to afford them.
Healthcare experts have warned that increasing food prices and growing poverty have had a direct effect on access to nutritious food.
