In this section, you can access to the latest technical information related to the FUTURE project topic.

Undernutrition and Its Social Determinants

Undernutrition, especially among young children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains widespread, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Its effects include increased risk of morbidity and mortality from infection, impaired intellectual development, and a higher risk of developing obesity and chronic noncommunicable diseases in later life. The immediate determinants are intake of inadequate diets and increased disease. Underlying these are food insecurity, suboptimal social care (including breastfeeding), and inadequate health and environmental services. These, in turn, are underpinned by a combination of social and structural factors that include limited education of women, lack of financial and other resources at household level, and a food environment in an increasing number of countries that promotes consumption of a nutrient-poor diet. Such social, environmental, and economic factors are taking place in the context of inequitable economic globalization, where the opportunities among the poor for accessing a nutrient are increasingly constrained by the growing dominance of large corporations at every point in the food supply chain. A combination of ?nutrition-specific,' i.e., health and dietary actions, and ?nutrition-sensitive,' i.e., environmental, social, and economic interventions is required to mitigate this situation. Ultimately, however, the reduction and eventual eradication of undernutrition will entail structural reforms that address the negative aspects of globalization.

» Author: Sven Borén, Lisiana Nurhadi, Henrik Ny, Karl-Henrik Robèrt, Göran Broman, Louise Trygg

» Reference: International Encyclopedia of Public Health

» Source: ScienceDirect - GPP

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