1*Principal, Jai Narayan College of Nursing, Bhopal. Email: monikadavid7@gmail.com (Corresponding author)
2Assistant Professor, Govt. College of Nursing, Indore. Email: karunaandreyas@gmail.com
3Assistant Professor, Jai Narayan College of Nursing, JNCT Professional University, Bhopal. Email: farheenkhan73647@gmail.com
Background: Pediatric nutritional challenges remain a major global public health concern and continue to affect child survival, growth, cognitive development, immunity, and long-term health outcomes. According to the UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates (2025), in 2024, approximately 150.2 million children under five were stunted, 42.8 million were wasted, and 35.5 million were overweight globally. In India, NFHS-5 (2019-21) reported that 35.5% of children under five were stunted, 19.3% were wasted, 32.1% were underweight, and 67.1% of children aged 6-59 months were anaemic.
Objective: This review aimed to synthesize current evidence on Pediatric nutritional challenges and to examine nursing approaches for their prevention, assessment, and management.
Methods: A narrative review approach was adopted to analyse current literature related to Pediatric nutritional challenges and nursing care. Relevant literature was identified through electronic database searches including PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Science Direct, and Google Scholar using topic-related keywords. The selected literature was reviewed and organized into thematic areas relevant to Pediatric nutritional care.
Results: The review found that Pediatric nutritional challenges are multifactorial and influenced by biological, behavioural, socioeconomic, environmental, and disease-related factors. Major issues identified included under nutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, feeding problems, obesity, and nutritional complications associated with chronic illness. The findings highlighted the critical role of nurses in growth monitoring, nutritional assessment, breastfeeding support, complementary feeding counselling, caregiver education, nutritional rehabilitation, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Conclusion: Nurses play a central role in improving Pediatric nutritional outcomes through early identification, preventive care, family-centered interventions, and evidence-based management. Strengthening Pediatric nutritional nursing practice, education, and research is essential to improve child health and reduce the burden of nutritional disorders.
Keywords: Pediatric nursing, Child nutrition, Malnutrition, Nursing interventions.
How to cite this article: David M, Lakra K, Khan F. Nursing Approaches to Pediatric Nutritional Challenges: A Review of Current Evidence. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(15s): 452-461. DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.15s.54
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: None