Human-caused climate change is contributing to higher rates of childhood stunting across Africa, worsening an already severe global health crisis affecting millions of children, according to new research.
Stunting, defined as impaired growth and development due to chronic undernutrition, affected around 149 million children under the age of five worldwide in 2022.
Beyond reduced height, it is associated with lifelong consequences, including poorer cognitive development, increased risk of disease, lower educational attainment and reduced economic opportunities.
A new study from the University of Notre Dame, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that rising temperatures driven by greenhouse gas emissions are directly linked to increases in stunting, alongside persistent socioeconomic inequality.
Analysing data from 34 African countries over 16 years, researchers found that every 1°C rise in human-caused temperature anomalies corresponded to a 3.45% increase in childhood stunting.
The researchers say the findings show how climate change is already affecting child health through disruptions to food systems, agriculture and household incomes.
“A single degree of warming might sound negligible in a daily weather report, but on a global scale, it alters the foundational conditions of child survival,” said Professor ArunAgrawal, co-author of the study.
He said rising temperatures can reduce crop yields and increase food prices, leaving young children particularly vulnerable to malnutrition during critical stages of development.
“Global emissions are being directly translated into child undernutrition,” he added.
To isolate the impact of human-driven warming, researchers combined real-world temperature data with climate models that separated natural variability from anthropogenic change. They found no meaningful link between general weather fluctuations and stunting, but a clear and statistically significant association with human-caused warming.
The study also highlights the role of inequality as a parallel driver of poor child health. Communities with weaker access to services such as healthcare, sanitation, clean water and maternal education were consistently more affected.
However, researchers say climate change does not simply amplify inequality—it compounds it. Wealthier households are often able to buffer shocks such as droughts or poor harvests, while poorer families face deeper food insecurity and reduced access to essential services.
“Climate change acts as a threat multiplier on top of existing social fractures,” said Agrawal. “When a heatwave or drought hits, the poorest children are pushed furthest out of reach of basic nutrition and care.”
The effects were most severe in rural areas and regions with limited infrastructure. Researchers say these communities, which have contributed least to global emissions, are often the most exposed to climate-related food insecurity.
Lead author NabinPradhan said the findings highlight the need for integrated policy responses that address both climate adaptation and structural inequality.
“Investments in education, sanitation and household resilience are not just social policies—they are climate interventions,” he said.
The study suggests that improving maternal education and access to clean water and sanitation could significantly reduce stunting by improving nutrition, healthcare access and disease prevention in early childhood.
Researchers argue that addressing climate-driven under-nutrition requires more than environmental measures alone, calling instead for coordinated action across health, education and development policy.
They plan further research using long-term household-level data to better understand how climate stress and inequality interact to shape child health outcomes.
