Summary In 2019, 11·6% (95% UI 10·3–13·1) of DALYs were attributable to child and maternal malnutrition, the leading Level 2 risk factor. 2·94 million (2·49–3·51) deaths in 2019 were attributable to child and maternal malnutrition. 

Definition Child and maternal malnutrition is composed of the suboptimal breastfeeding, child growth failure, and low birthweight and short gestation risk factors. 

Total sources
Exposure 3769
Relative risk 194
Table 1: Total sources used in GBD 2019 estimation
What is new in GBD 2019?
  • •No substantial changes were made to the modelling strategy for GBD 2019.
Deaths
YLLs
YLDs
DALYs
Number
(millions)
Rate (per
100 000)
Number
(millions)
Rate (per
100 000)
Number
(millions)
Rate (per
100 000)
Number
(millions)
Rate (per
100 000)
2019
Both Sexes
2·94 (2·49
to 3·51)
44·7 (37·8
to 53·5)
251 (211
to 301)
3830·6 (3222·0
to 4602·7)
44·3 (32·0
to 59·7)
594·7 (429·1
to 802·3)
295 (253
to 350)
4425·2 (3789·8
to 5249·5)
Females
1·36 (1·16
to 1·61)
42·3 (36·0
to 50·3)
114 (96·8
to 136)
3606·3 (3049·5
to 4300·7)
25·2 (18·1
to 34·0)
676·7 (486·2
to 915·9)
140 (121
to 164)
4283·0 (3696·0
to 5054·8)
Males
1·58 (1·32
to 1·92)
47·0 (39·4
to 57·0)
136 (114
to 166)
4038·9 (3372·0
to 4918·3)
19·1 (13·9
to 25·7)
513·3 (374·3
to 691·2)
155 (132
to 185)
4552·2 (3865·3
to 5418·7)
Percentage change 2010-19
Both Sexes
–30·6% (–39·8
to –19·8)
–30·9% (–40·1
to –20·1)
–31·4% (–40·8
to –20·5)
–31·1% (–40·5
to –20·1)
6·8% (5·5
to 8·3)
–1·7% (–2·9
to –0·4)
–27·5% (–35·9
to –17·7)
–28·2% (–36·6
to –18·4)
Females
–30·8% (–39·6
to –21·0)
–31·4% (–40·2
to –21·7)
–31·9% (–40·9
to –21·8)
–31·8% (–40·8
to –21·6)
7·7% (6·3
to 9·1)
–1·5% (–2·8
to –0·2)
–27·0% (–34·9
to –18·0)
–28·3% (–36·2
to –19·3)
Males
–30·5% (–39·9
to –19·3)
–30·4% (–39·9
to –19·4)
–31·0% (–40·6
to –19·8)
–30·6% (–40·3
to –19·3)
5·6% (3·8
to 7·7)
–2·0% (–3·7
to 0·0)
–27·9% (–36·7
to –17·8)
–28·2% (–37·0
to –18·0)
Numbers in parentheses are 95% uncertainty intervals.
Table 2: Attributable global deaths, YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs in counts and age-standardised rates for both sexes combined, females, and males, 2019, with percentage change between 2010 and 2019
Deaths YLLs YLDs DALYs
1990 1st 1st 1st 1st
2010 6th 1st 1st 1st
2019 9th 1st 2nd 1st
Table 3: Rank among attributable Level 2 risks of global deaths, YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs in 1990, 2010, and 2019 for both sexes combined
Figure 1: Composition of attributable global DALYs by constituent Level 2 causes for both sexes combined, 2019
Figure 2: Composition of attributable global DALYs by YLLs and YLDs, age group, and sex, 2019
No Legend
Figure 3: Age-standardised all-cause SEV by location, both sexes combined, 2019
No Legend
Figure 4: Percentage change in all-cause age-standardised SEV by SDI, both sexes combined, 1990–2019