{
  "id": 2307595,
  "title": "In Benin, malnutrition and misinformed views contribute to widespread stunting in children",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/in-benin-malnutrition-and-misinformed-views-contribute-to-widespread",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-21T05:05:39.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/health/2026/08/21/in-benin-malnutrition-and-misinformed-views-contribute-to-widespread-stunting-in-children"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Benin, stunting among children under five is a significant issue, affecting more than 30% of the population. This condition, characterized by impaired growth and lower than average height for age due to malnutrition, is a result of poor diets and lack of knowledge about nutrition. Despite abundant natural resources and subsistence agriculture, stunting remains prevalent in the country.\n\nSabi Bera Zakari, a farmer, didn't seem to care much about his children's height, only occasionally wishing they could gain more weight. However, his wife, Aboudou Salamatou, and development sociologist Boris Gloni disagreed, with Gloni believing that two of the family's young daughters suffered from stunted growth. Gloni, a former representative of The Hunger Project, has been trying to convince men like Zakari that stunting is a widespread issue that needs to be addressed by families first and foremost.\n\nThe lack of knowledge about nutrition and poor diets, exacerbated by drought, contribute to the high prevalence of stunting in Benin. Beninese authorities aim to bring the prevalence of stunting below 30% by 2030. However, stunting has more or less \"stagnated\" in northern Benin, despite efforts to reduce the rates in the region. The situation has been challenging due to many families lacking knowledge and having many mouths to feed.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Stunting affects over 30% of children under five in Benin",
    "Nutrition and misinformation exacerbate the issue",
    "Authorities aim to reduce stunting prevalence to below 30% by 2030"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The persistence of stunting in Benin despite abundant resources highlights the critical role of misinformation and dietary practices, and raises questions about the effectiveness of current efforts to address the issue.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}