Malnutrition
The most common effect of poverty is malnutrition.
This is especially seen in children of poor families. People living in poverty rarely have access to highly nutritious foods. Even if they have access to these foods, it is unlikely that they are able to purchase them. The healthiest foods are usually the most expensive; therefore, a family on a very small budget is much more likely to purchase food that is less nutritious, simply because that is all they can afford.
Sometimes people in poverty are malnourished simply because they do not eat enough of anything. For some people around the world, quality food is a luxury. A total of 14.3 percent of people in developing countries face hunger and about 25 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa is considered malnourished. Poor nutrition causes 45 percent of deaths in children under the age of 5. Malnutrition can also lead to many other health issues as well.