Malnutrition, stunting, and vitamin deficiencies contribute to 3.1 million deaths of children every year, according to a new global report.

The data, published this week, ahead of the June 17 G8 summit in London that's expected to gather industrialized nations on June 17, also offered 10 intervention methods that could reduce the staggering death toll.

According to the report, children younger than five years old die from low growth rate, exclusive breastfeeding, and vitamin A and zinc deficiencies every year. In addition, malnutrition during pregnancy significantly affects fetus growth, leaving it more susceptible to diseases.

While stunting has declined worldwide in recent years, it still impacted almost 165 million children in 2011 under the age of five, while wasting, or the condition where fat and muscle tissue is eaten away, affected 52 million children.

"This new evidence strengthens the case for a continued focus on the crucial 1000 day window during pregnancy and the first 2 years of life," the study's authors wrote. "It also shows the importance of intervening early in pregnancy and even before conception. Because many women do not access nutrition-promoting services until month 5 or 6 of pregnancy, it is important that women enter pregnancy in a state of optimum nutrition."

The Maternal and Child Nutrition Study Group proposed 10 interventions, which they estimate could save up to 900,000 lives in 34 malnutrition-ridden countries. If implemented, it could cost approximately $9.6 billion per year.

Breaking this down, 39 percent of the intervention's funding would go toward nutritional programs, while 10 percent and 27 percent would cover education and management of severe malnutrition expenses. The remaining 24 percent would account for food provisions for poor mothers and children.

However, according to The Guardian, aid leaders said that they'll only expect $600 to $800 million in pledges every year to go toward nutrition agendas, which falls short of the larger target proposed by the study group.

Researchers said that nutrition has been on the global agenda and major agencies have pushed for more developments. Between 2008 and 2011, donations have increased for basic nutrition assistance by more than 60 percent, at a time when the fiscal climate was at its near worst.

"Nutrition is now more prominent on the agendas of the UN, the G8 and G20, and supporting civil society," the authors wrote. "Nowadays, the impetus for improving nutrition is even stronger than it was 5 years ago."

"[R]esources must be directed not only to interventions, but also to the creation of environments to enable advancement of nutrition, including capacity and leadership at all levels of government. A political economy approach to prioritization of such investments is crucial if sustainable, supportive environments for long-term nutrition agendas [need] to be created."