When ocean temperatures increase, so does child malnutrition on land
Researchers are just discovering this troubling consequence of climate change, but they still don't know why it happens.
In 2024, a group of researchers comprising social and marine scientists conducted a study to determine the potential effects of marine heatwaves on child and maternal health outcomes. The lead researcher, Clark Gray, expressed that he was prepared to find no correlation between the two, but the results were quite alarming. As ocean temperatures rise due to climate change, these marine heatwaves have become more frequent and intense, which the study revealed can lead to a 5.4 percent surge in child mortality and a 6.5 percent increase in child wasting and an 8.8 percent rise in child stunting, both effects of malnutrition.
While the mechanisms linking marine heatwaves to these health issues are still being investigated, the research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences demonstrates a correlation between the two. The study primarily focused on low and middle-income countries, but the authors have been unable to pinpoint the exact reason why these health declines are more pronounced in regions that depend heavily on small-scale fishing.
These fishing communities may suffer from income loss due to disrupted marine ecosystems, contributing to malnutrition indirectly. The study's findings echo existing research on climate change's adverse impact on human health, highlighting the broader implications of ocean warming.
Written by urgent.news from Grist's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
