2026/05/29 by Kaoru Kakinuma, Aki Yanagawa, Hyungjun Kim · 1 voice
Nursing · Environmental Science · Social Sciences · #Child Nutrition and Water Access #Climate Change and Health Impacts #Climate Change, Adaptation, Migration
paper · doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ae74e8
openalex publication_date 2026/05/29 · openalex created_date 2026/05/30 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/27
Abstract Child malnutrition is a major global challenge of particular concern under climate change. While links between drought and undernutrition are widely recognized, current global assessments often overlook ecosystem conditions, particularly ecological resistance, which reflects how sensitive local food systems are to climate extremes. Here, we present the first global assessment that estimates the exposed population of stunted children living in drought-sensitive ecosystems. We quantified ecological resistance to drought using satellite vegetation metrics normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and a drought index standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (3 month), then mapped its spatial overlap with stunted child populations during 2000–2015. We found that nearly one in five stunted children (18%, or 29.8 million) were exposed to drought-sensitive ecosystems between 2000 and 2015, with the largest exposed populations in India, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia. Previous global assessments and drought-nutrition monitoring have largely focused on arid Africa. Incorporating ecological resistance also highlights high-burden hotspots in South Asia. Prioritizing these hotspots can support progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 2.2.