The state of nutrition in Asia: Can Asia meet Its nutrition goals?
Food scarcity remains a major challenge in many parts of the world. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) an estimated 808 million people—about 9.9% of the global population—are expected to live on less than US$3.00 a day in 2025. Using the international extreme poverty line of US$2.15 a day, around 611 million people, or 7.4% of the world’s population, are projected to be living in extreme poverty.
611 million people, or 7.4% of the world’s population, are projected to be living in extreme poverty.
It is difficult to grasp the true scale of food scarcity when millions of people struggle to access adequate nutrition every day. Measuring progress is just as important as setting nutrition goals, and the Nutrition Accountability Framework (NAF) was established to monitor both. Endorsed by the Government of Japan, the Sun Movement, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, USAID, and other international partners, the NAF tracks SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) nutrition commitments made between the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit in 2021 and the Paris N4G Summit through its Commitment Tracker.
The framework measures progress against ten global nutrition targets established by the World Health Assembly (WHA) and the Global Action Plan for Non-Communicable Diseases. Six targets focus on maternal and child nutrition, including reducing child stunting, anemia, low birth weight, childhood overweight, and wasting, while increasing exclusive breastfeeding. The remaining four address adult nutrition by halting the rise in obesity and diabetes, reducing salt or sodium intake, and lowering the prevalence of raised blood pressure.
The UNICEF describe wasting as the most severe and life-threatening form of malnutrition, leaving children dangerously underweight with weakened immune systems that increase their risk of illness, developmental delays, and death. It is often caused by maternal malnutrition, low birth weight, poor feeding and care practices, infections, food insecurity, unsafe drinking water, and poverty. Evidence also shows that wasting develops early in life and disproportionately affects children under the age of two.
Launched by the Global Nutrition Report in 2021, the NAF provides an independent way to track whether countries and organizations are delivering on their nutrition commitments. While progress has been made in some areas, the framework shows that no country is currently on track to achieve all ten targets, highlighting the need for stronger action to end malnutrition in all its forms.
Despite some encouraging gains, global progress toward nutrition targets remains too slow, and malnutrition continues to affect millions of people worldwide. Based on the latest data published in the February 2023 update of the Global Nutrition Report, only a small number of countries are on track to meet the targets for maternal, infant, and young child nutrition. While 44% of infants under six months are exclusively breastfed and more countries are making progress in reducing stunting, wasting, and childhood overweight, an estimated 22% of children under five remain stunted, 6.7% suffer from wasting, 5.7% are overweight, and 14.6% are born with low birth weight.
The outlook is equally concerning for diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs). No country is currently on track to halt the rise in adult obesity, which affects more women (16.2%) than men (12.3%) worldwide. Diabetes also continues to increase, affecting 8.9% of adult women and 10.5% of adult men, with very few countries expected to meet the global targets.
A mixed scenario for Asia
Asia, where hundreds of millions of people still live in extreme poverty according to the 2025 ADB report, has made modest progress toward the global nutrition targets, but significant challenges remain. According to the Global Nutrition Report, more countries in the region are on track to reduce childhood overweight, stunting, and wasting than to meet other nutrition goals. Progress is much slower in improving exclusive breastfeeding, reducing low birth weight, and addressing diabetes among women. More concerning, no country in Asia is on track to meet the targets for anemia among women of reproductive age or to halt the rise in obesity and diabetes among adults. In addition, 27 countries in the region still lack sufficient data to fully assess their progress.
Related: Getting to the root of obesity problem in Southeast Asia
The region continues to face a dual burden of malnutrition. An estimated 33.1% of women of reproductive age are affected by anemia, while 17.3% of infants are born with low birth weight. Although exclusive breastfeeding rates in Asia (45%) are slightly higher than the global average, and the region records lower rates of childhood overweight and stunting than the global average, childhood wasting remains a major concern, affecting 8.9% of children under five—well above the global average of 6.7%.
Malnutrition also extends into adulthood. Diabetes affects more adult men (11.4%) than women (9.5%), while obesity affects more women (10.3%) than men (7.5%), signifying the region’s continuing struggle with both undernutrition and diet-related NCDs.
Philippines: On track in exclusive breastfeeding target; persistent nutrition challenges
The Philippines is on track to meet only one of the global nutrition targets with sufficient data for assessment – exclusive breastfeeding. More than half (54.9%) of infants aged 0 to 5 months are exclusively breastfed, exceeding the global target of 50%. The country has also made progress in reducing anemia among women of reproductive age, with the prevalence now at 12.3%.
Despite these optimistic developments, several nutrition indicators remain a concern. A significant percentage (20.1%) of infants are born with low birth weight, showing little improvement over time. Nearly three in ten Filipino children under five (28.8 %) are stunted, a rate higher than the Asia regional average of 21.8%. Childhood wasting affects 5.8% of children, while 2.9% are overweight, with the country still off course to prevent childhood overweight from increasing.
Related: Longer breastfeeding lowers risk of diabetes for mothers
The Philippines also continues to face challenges in addressing diet-related NCDs. An estimated 8.8% of adult women and 6.4% of adult men are living with obesity, while diabetes affects both women and men at nearly the same rate, with prevalence estimated at 7.8% and 7.9%, respectively. Although obesity rates remain below the regional average, the country is still off course to meet the global targets for reducing obesity and improving other key nutrition indicators, highlighting the need for sustained and coordinated action.
Malaysia: Reduced childhood overweight incidence; undernutrition a concern
Malaysia is on track to meet only one global nutrition target with sufficient data for assessment – preventing an increase in childhood overweight, which currently affects 5.2% of children under five. However, progress has stalled across several other key nutrition indicators. Anemia affects 32% of women of reproductive age, while 11.3% of infants are born with low birth weight. Although 40.3% of infants aged 0 to 5 months are exclusively breastfed, there is not enough data to determine whether the country is on track to meet the global breastfeeding target.
Related: Malnutrition in Malaysia may be more serious than imagined
Child undernutrition also remains a concern. Stunting affects 21.8% of children under five, matching the regional average, while wasting affects 9.7% — higher than the Asia regional average of 8.9%. Both indicators have shown little to no improvement over time.
Malaysia also faces growing challenges from diet-related NCDs. Obesity affects 20.9% of adult women and 15.9% of adult men, both significantly higher than the regional averages. Diabetes is likewise widespread, affecting an estimated 11.9% of women and 13.1% of men. These findings indicate that while Malaysia has maintained progress in preventing childhood overweight, it remains off course on several other global nutrition targets and continues to face a substantial burden of both undernutrition and diet-related diseases.
Indonesia: Scoreswell on exclusive breastfeeding but wasting exceeds regional average
Indonesia is on track to meet one global nutrition target with sufficient data for assessment—exclusive breastfeeding. An estimated 50.7% of infants aged 0 to 5 months are exclusively breastfed, meeting the global target. The country has also made some progress in reducing low birth weight, with 10% of infants affected.
Despite these improvements, a few nutrition targets have not been met. Anemia continues to affect 31.2% of women of reproductive age, while stunting remains high at 30.8% of children under five, exceeding the Asia regional average of 21.8%. Wasting affects 10.2% of children, also outpacing the regional average, and childhood overweight has risen to 8%, leaving the country off course to meet the global target.
The country has likewise made limited progress in addressing diet-related NCDs. Obesity affects more adult women (10.9%) than adult men (6.3%), while diabetes affects women and men alike at nearly the same rates, with prevalence estimated at 8.8% and 8.5%, respectively. Although some child nutrition indicators have improved, the country continues to face significant challenges in reducing undernutrition and preventing the growing burden of obesity and other nutrition-related diseases.
Singapore: Strong child nutrition, but adult NCD targets remain elusive
Singapore is on track to meet two global nutrition targets with sufficient data for assessment –reducing childhood stunting and diabetes among adult women. Only 4.4% of children under five are affected by stunting, well below the Asia regional average of 21.8%. The country also records relatively low levels of childhood wasting at 3.6%, although there is insufficient data to determine progress toward the global target. Data on exclusive breastfeeding is also insufficient for assessment.
Despite these positive outcomes, several nutrition issues are evident. Anemia affects 13% of women of reproductive age, while 9.6% of infants are born with low birth weight, with little progress reported in either area. Childhood overweight stands at 2.6%, but Singapore remains off course to prevent the rate from increasing.
Diet-related NCDs also continue to pose a concern. Obesity affects both women and men at nearly the same rate, with prevalence estimated at 6.9% and 6.7%, respectively. While Singapore is on track to meet the diabetes target for adult women, diabetes affects 9.4% of adult men, leaving the country off course for that target. Overall, Singapore performs well on several child nutrition indicators but continues to push for improvements in maternal nutrition and addressing nutrition-related health risks among adults.
Thailand: Childhood nutrition on track but adult health needs attention
Thailand is on track to meet one global nutrition target with sufficient data for assessment—keeping childhood overweight at bay. The country has also made some progress in reducing low birth weight, with 10.5% of infants affected, and in lowering childhood stunting, which now affects 13.4% of children under five, well below the Asia regional average of 21.8%.
However, several nutrition challenges remain. Anemia affects 24% of women of reproductive age, while exclusive breastfeeding remains low at just 14% of infants aged 0 to 5 months. Childhood wasting affects 7.7% of children under five, and progress in reducing both anemia and wasting has been limited.
The country also continues to face growing diet-related health concerns such as obesity, which affects 15.7% of adult women and 9.3% of adult men, both above the regional averages, while diabetes affects 9.7% of both women and men. Although the country has made progress in some child nutrition indicators, it remains off course on several global targets, particularly those related to maternal nutrition and NCDs.
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