In Uganda, one in four children under the age of five is stunted—too short for their age due to chronic malnutrition. An additional 3% are wasted (too thin for their height), and 9.7% are underweight, according to the latest Uganda Demographic and Health Survey.
These figures are more than just statistics. They are a stark reminder of the silent crisis affecting Uganda’s youngest citizens. Poor nutrition—or no nutrition at all—is leaving lasting scars on children’s physical and cognitive development, with profound consequences for their success in school and life.
Malnutrition occurs when the body lacks or cannot properly absorb essential nutrients, leading to poor health and impaired growth. Uganda has set an ambitious goal to reduce stunting to 13% by 2030, a target that remains daunting given current trends.
If this challenge is not addressed, the country will continue to face high school dropout rates and limited academic progress among children. The root causes of malnutrition in Uganda are largely economic: poverty which restricts families’ ability to afford nutritious food, and lack of awareness about food required at each stage of a child’s development.
Nutrition Matters for Learning
Proper nutrition during childhood is critical for healthy growth, brain development, and learning ability. On a national scale, it contributes to future productivity, earnings, and economic growth.
Key nutrients such as iron, zinc, iodine, folate, choline, and healthy fats play vital roles in brain development and cognitive function. When children lack these nutrients, their memory, concentration, and overall academic performance suffer. Poor diets also fail to provide the sustained energy needed to stay attentive and productive throughout the school day.
A report by BioMed Central Public Health highlights how poor nutrition affects not only academic performance but also behaviour and emotional well-being. Malnourished children may exhibit restlessness, difficulty sitting still, and disruptive behaviour in class. Emotional distress linked to poor nutrition further hampers their ability to engage in learning.
Well-nourished children consistently outperform their malnourished peers in tests of memory, concentration, and factual knowledge. In contrast, children suffering from malnutrition often struggle to absorb and retain information. Stunted children are more likely to repeat grades, with repetition rates exceeding the national average. Only 34% of stunted children complete primary school, compared to 50% of their well-nourished counterparts. These disparities continue into secondary education and later into life outcomes.
A Call to Action
Proper nutrition strengthens the immune system, boosts energy levels, and supports active participation in school. A balanced diet enables children to attend school regularly, stay alert, and engage fully in learning.
To improve educational outcomes, Uganda should urgently address malnutrition. Government interventions should include micronutrient supplementation to prevent and treat deficiencies, training community health workers to detect and manage malnutrition early, strengthening local food systems through policies that promote access to affordable, nutritious foods, and mainstreaming school feeding programmes into policies especially education sector plans. The cost of poor nutrition is too high—not just for the children affected, but for Uganda’s future.
Featured Photo Credit: Unicef
