Decades of caste discrimination have contributed to higher rates of child stunting in India than in sub-Saharan Africa, new research has found.

Together, these two regions are home to 44% of the world’s under-five population but account for approximately 70% of stunted children globally; This is an important indicator of malnutrition.

However, although both have made significant progress in recent years, India’s rate is at 35.7%, externalThe average for the 49 countries of Sub-Saharan Africa is 33.6%.

A child is considered stunted when he or she falls below the expected height for his or her age; this is a clear sign of critical nutritional deficiencies.

But, Study by Ashwini Deshpande (Ashoka University) and Rajesh Ramachandran (Monash University, Malaysia) , externalHe found that focusing solely on the height difference or why Indian children are shorter than children in sub-Saharan Africa misses an important factor: the critical role of social identity, especially caste, in child malnutrition in India.

Often referred to as the “golden period,” the first 1,000 days of a child’s life are crucial: by the age of two, 80% of the brain is developed, laying the foundation for lifelong potential. In these early years, access to health care, good nutrition, early learning, and a safe environment profoundly shape a child’s future.

India and Sub-Saharan Africa, both with rapidly growing middle classes, young populations and significant workforce potential, share long-standing comparisons. Highlighting similar challenges in poverty and development, the World Bank reported in 2021 that “Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia (including India) account for more than 85% of the global poor.”