Food poverty plays a major part in malnutrition. This is not about neglect and abuse.
https://www.endhungeruk.org/2019/02/07/uk-food-poverty-now-public-health-emergency/
https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/food-pov-health-enviro-comm/news-parliament-2019/report-publication/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6079189/
Now
" Food poverty plays a major part in malnutrition. This is not about neglect and abuse."Really?
let us put that to the test.
Myself ,husband and three children had this for food last Saturday.
Breakfast: cereal-milk (£ 3.50) ,dollop of greek yogurt with strawberrys (tin)2.00 cost £5.50
Lunch: home made carrot and coriander soup-home made bread with cheese all ingredients cost £2.60
Evening dinner, roast chicken,(4.50) cauliflower (95p) cheese sauce (home made)(cheese 1.50) lemon & parsley potatoes (75p loose)with peas (frozen bag for 1.20)
Total £17.00
The next day was left over day.
Breakfast used from same cereal box,bought more milk 4 pt, used rest of yogurt with tin of pineapples
Lunch- used bones from chicken to make chicken sweetcorn soup with bread made on Sat.
Home made pancakes with home made jam
Supper Macaroni cheese(home made with same cheese block from sat) with onion topped with tomato and sweet potato (£1.00) chips (in oven)
Home made carrot cake using carrots from Saturday bag. lemon topping using greek yogurt.
No one was hungry. this is a family of 4. eating very well for two days! (My husband and I hate food wastage!)
Now if you spend your money on:
Packet of cigarettes? bingo? bookies?booze you will struggle to feed your family.
Home cooking- It is also a lot cheaper,and tastier than a gregs sausage roll and can of fizzy pop.
Your argument does not hold up. Malnutrition is all down to parental control of finances!