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| Cases of child malnutrition in England double in last six months | Cases of child malnutrition in England double in last six months |
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| Almost 2,500 children admitted to hospitals in England suffering malnutrition in 2020 | Almost 2,500 children admitted to hospitals in England suffering malnutrition in 2020 |
| Almost 2,500 children have been admitted to hospital with malnutrition in the first six months of the year – double the number over the same period last year – prompting fresh concern that families are struggling to afford to feed themselves and that the pandemic has intensified the problem. | Almost 2,500 children have been admitted to hospital with malnutrition in the first six months of the year – double the number over the same period last year – prompting fresh concern that families are struggling to afford to feed themselves and that the pandemic has intensified the problem. |
| Freedom of information responses from almost 50 trusts in England, representing 150 hospitals, show that more than 11,500 children have been admitted to hospital with malnutrition since 2015. | Freedom of information responses from almost 50 trusts in England, representing 150 hospitals, show that more than 11,500 children have been admitted to hospital with malnutrition since 2015. |
| Liberal Democrat leadership campaigner Layla Moran MP, who collated the responses, said: “These figures shocked me and make me angry that in Britain, in 2020, people can be hospitalised due to malnutrition. We need to move forward and create a system of social security that helps everyone and makes sure no one goes hungry in our country. | Liberal Democrat leadership campaigner Layla Moran MP, who collated the responses, said: “These figures shocked me and make me angry that in Britain, in 2020, people can be hospitalised due to malnutrition. We need to move forward and create a system of social security that helps everyone and makes sure no one goes hungry in our country. |
| “It is still widely believed malnutrition is a problem restricted to the developing world,” she added. “Sadly, this is not true. Today, in the UK, thousands of friends, relatives, neighbours and colleagues are at risk of the effects of malnutrition.” | “It is still widely believed malnutrition is a problem restricted to the developing world,” she added. “Sadly, this is not true. Today, in the UK, thousands of friends, relatives, neighbours and colleagues are at risk of the effects of malnutrition.” |
| Collectively the figures reveal 11,515 cases of hospital admissions of under-16s due to malnourishment. Fewer than two-thirds of all trusts responded, suggesting the real total figure is much higher. | Collectively the figures reveal 11,515 cases of hospital admissions of under-16s due to malnourishment. Fewer than two-thirds of all trusts responded, suggesting the real total figure is much higher. |
| The most cases were reported by University hospital Southampton NHS trust which logged 704 admissions, followed by Newcastle upon Tyne hospitals NHS foundation trust, which had 656. | |
| The dramatic increase this year is unsurprising. The number of households with children going hungry doubled during lockdown, as millions of people struggle to afford food. | The dramatic increase this year is unsurprising. The number of households with children going hungry doubled during lockdown, as millions of people struggle to afford food. |
| Data from the Food Foundation revealed in May that almost a fifth of households with children had been unable to access enough food in the preceding weeks, with children not getting enough to eat as already vulnerable families battled isolation and loss of income. | Data from the Food Foundation revealed in May that almost a fifth of households with children had been unable to access enough food in the preceding weeks, with children not getting enough to eat as already vulnerable families battled isolation and loss of income. |
| An Environmental Audit Committee report last year recommended the government appoint a minister with responsibility for tackling hunger and food insecurity in the UK, a position it has yet to announce. | An Environmental Audit Committee report last year recommended the government appoint a minister with responsibility for tackling hunger and food insecurity in the UK, a position it has yet to announce. |
| • This article was amended on 23 July 2020 to remove a reference to malnutrition cases at Cambridge University hospitals NHS foundation trust. An error in the data supplied led to us reporting “almost 1,000 under-16s” had been admitted with malnutrition in the past five years when that figure related to all patients; only 33 were children. It was further amended on 24 July 2020 to remove an admission figure for the Royal Free, which was also the total for adults and children. |