it is difficult to behold especially when it afflicts children however even the apparently well fed those who receive sufficient calories to fuel their daily activities can suffer the hidden hunger of micronutrient malnutrition deficiencies of such essentials as vitamin a iron or zinc from fruits vegetables fish or meat it has many short and longterm consequences including delayed mental development heightened risk of infectious diseases and susceptibility to chronic disease in adult life in lowincome countries child undernutrition is likely to be a consequence of poverty characterized as it is by low family status and income poor environment and housing and inadequate access to food safe water guidance and health care at least a quarter of urban children under were stunted indicating that they had been undernourished for some time income was a significant factor