On World Food Day, Save the Children is warning that hundreds of millions of the world’s poorest children, already suffering from severe malnutrition, could face an even bleaker future as developing nations grapple with food, fuel and financial crises – all at the same time.

More than nine million children die before their fifth birthdays every year and over a third of these deaths are caused by a lack of decent food.

Some progress has been made over the past two decades to reduce these shocking figures. In 1990, 12.7 million children died before they were five. Last year, it was estimated at 9.2 million.

Today Save the Children is urging world leaders to seize this moment to mobilise a global response and not to turn their backs on children suffering from chronic malnourishment, either at home or in the developing world.