UNICEFAsiaPacific's video: Impact of COVID-19 on diets and access to food in Malaysia

The COVID-19 pandemic in South East Asia has stimulated changes in traditional food purchasing patterns and dietary habits. These include an increased reliance on cheaper foods (e.g. more rice with less meat, eggs, vegetables and fruit) and food ‘hand-outs’ because of loss of income; and a rise in purchase of packaged foods (e.g. instant noodles), fast foods, shopping on-line and from convenience stores due to lock-down. At the same time, there are reports that some people are eating more home-cooked food while they are at home. As economies in the region struggle to recover, the quality of the diet for the poorer sections of the population may continue to deteriorate threatening the gains made in reducing malnutrition rates. Childhood malnutrition was already high in the region with 13.9 million stunted, 4.7 million wasted and 7.5 million overweight children