Unhealthy junk food cheaper than nutritious meals, worsening child malnutrition

Unhealthy food is cheaper than nutritious options in Fiji, driving malnutrition among young children.

This was highlighted by UNICEF (United Nations International Children Emergency Fund) Pacific’s Nutrition Manager Penjani Kamudoni yesterday.

Ms Penjani said the cost barrier forces families to choose less healthy foods as infants transition from breastfeeding.

“The cost of unhealthy foods in Fiji is cheaper than the cost of healthy food options,” she said.

“If one is going to buy taro or kumala sweet potatoes, that will cost them more than if they’ll go and buy a white loaf of bread.”

She said this economic reality is a major factor behind nutrition being the highest deprivation affecting children, particularly those aged 6-23 months.

The multidimensional child poverty report revealed 58.1 per cent of infants and young children in this age group are not properly fed according to international standards.

Ms Kamudoni said mothers in informal work without maternity leave and children cared for by secondary caregivers are less likely to be exclusively breastfed.

“Unless these major structural root issues are addressed, the indicators and the deprivation is not going to change,” she said.

The report shows 56.1 per cent of infants under six months are not exclusively breastfed.

Ms Kamudoni said the Government is working to address the problem by revising the Food Safety Act to promote healthier food options through levelling and restricting marketing of unhealthy foods to children.

This includes regulating breast milk substitutes like infant formula.

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