{
  "id": 4191900,
  "title": "Child malnutrition a growing crisis in KL, says health minister",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/child-malnutrition-a-growing-crisis-in-kl-says-health-minister",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-29T11:48:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/08/29/child-malnutrition-a-growing-crisis-in-kl-says-health-minister"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kuala Lumpur faces a growing child malnutrition crisis, according to health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad. A national survey reveals that 23.4% of children under five in the federal territory are stunted, while 12.4% are underweight, 8% suffer from wasting, and 7.5% are overweight. These alarming statistics represent children at critical development stages and families in need of support.\n\nAddressing the issue, health minister Dzulkefly launched an urban community feeding programme with Seputeh MP Teresa Kok. The programme provides six months of support, comprising monthly growth monitoring, nutritious food baskets, and fresh fruit and vegetables every two weeks for children aged one to six years old.\n\nThe health ministry is tackling the double burden of malnutrition in the country, dealing with both undernutrition and overnutrition simultaneously. Dzulkefly emphasizes that the health ministry is proactively visiting communities to identify at-risk children who don't frequently visit health facilities.",
  "summary": "Dzulkefly Ahmad says a national survey has shown that nearly a quarter of children in Kuala Lumpur are stunted, 12.4% are underweight, and 8% affected by wasting.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Child malnutrition a growing crisis in KL, says health minister",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/child-malnutrition-a-growing-crisis-in-kl-says-health-minister-4195412",
        "published": "2026-08-29T11:48:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}