3 in 10 young kids in Egypt malnourished

CAIRO, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Despite an improving economy, nearly three in 10 young Egyptian children are malnourished, a report published by Egyptian and United Nations agencies says.

The proportion of children under 5 suffering malnourishment serious enough to stunt growth increased from 23 percent in 2000 to 29 percent in 2008, the Egyptian Demographic Survey found.

The report was compiled by the Egyptian Ministry of Health and the U.N. Development Program.

Researchers gathered the data in 2007 and 2008, a period when Egypt's gross domestic product increased by 7.2 percent, suggesting strong economic growth wasn't benefiting ordinary Egyptians, the U.N. said.

"Within the recent context of economic crises and economic slowdown ... nutrition is not treated as a priority," said Hala Abu Khatwa of the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF).

The increase in malnutrition was partly caused by the Egyptian government's decision to kill millions of chickens following an outbreak of avian flu, UNICEF said. This lowered the intake of protein from poultry and eggs, especially among young children.