Some 8.8 million children under five are suffering chronic malnutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean, the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) said on Friday.

In a report entitled "Latin American Malnutrition", part of its larger bulletin named "Challenges," the organization said malnutrition had stunted the growth of 16 percent of the region's population.

In Guatemala, the country most seriously affected, 46 percent of the children born between 1995 and 2002 suffer chronic malnutrition, beating the averages seen in Africa and Asia. In Honduras, the figure was 29 percent.

Andean nations suffered similar levels of malnutrition: Ecuador's statistic was 27 percent, Bolivia's 26 percent and Peru's 25 percent.

The rural poor are the most vulnerable to hunger, with indigenous groups or Afro-Latinos worst hit. These groups also tend to suffer from poor education as well as bad access to drinking water and sanitation.

ECLAC called on governments to implement long-term, integrated development policies.

The report also said children under three, and mothers who are pregnant or nursing the babies should receive the most assistance as they are at a crucial stage of their life cycle.

Source:Xinhua