Because of their shorter size, these women often experience difficulties during childbirth. Many die during labor. Chronic hunger has an economic impact as well. Nearly 67 million children weigh less than they should because of chronic hunger. Studies have shown that wasting results in fewer years in school.
Less education means lower wages earned in adulthood, thus perpetuating the cycle of poverty.
Malnutrition and serious infections share a deadly cycle in the lives of those who are impoverished. Malnutrition weakens a child's immune system, making them more vulnerable to infection. Infections reduce their appetites, further compromising the child's ability to fight off recurrent and lingering infections. Children who cannot break out of this cycle eventually die. With all the hunger in the world, it's often thought that we must be running out of food to feed our growing population.