Nutrition transition

Deficiencies of essential micronutrients are now recognized as the most widespread nutritional problem facing the world today, especially among women and children. Micronutrient malnutrition is a major contributor to child mortality and continues to stunt the growth, development, and learning potential of many millions of surviving children. As a result of the “nutrition transition”, hunger among the poor also manifests itself in over-consumption of cheap, energy-rich, but nutrient-poor, foods, leading to obesity in populations still affected by high rates of micronutrient deficiency. This nutrition transition, which is rooted in the processes of globalization, is not just affecting the affluent: obesity and related diseases are now problems for poor countries and poor people. It is emerging as a particular problem for women, even those with inadequate micronutrient intake and stunted children. These nutritional problems provide further health challenges: under-nutrition is linked with diarrheal diseases; micronutrient deficiencies increase the risk of infections; obesity leads to diet-related chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Developing countries thus now face a double burden of malnutrition (under- and over-) and associated diseases (infectious and chronic). Policies are needed to address both micronutrient deficiency and obesity, sometimes in very different communities, sometimes in the same. This is a serious nutritional and public health challenge.