Articles tagged with Undernutrition
A new study finds that large-scale food fortification programs currently prevent around 7 billion cases of micronutrient inadequacies worldwide each year, costing just 18 cents per person. Improving and expanding these programs could triple their impact to prevent 25 billion cases annually.
A new Cochrane review found that free or subsidized school meals slightly improve math achievement and enrolment rates in low- and middle-income countries. School feeding programs also likely contribute to small gains in physical growth indicators, but evidence from high-income countries is limited.
Researchers found that children with stable gut microbiomes tend to have better growth outcomes. The study created the first-ever pediatric undernutrition microbial genome catalog, which can predict and prevent malnutrition. This discovery opens the door to new diagnostics and therapeutics for addressing global child stunting issues.
Preliminary research suggests that climate change can lead to a reduction in nutritional quality in food crops, with potential devastating consequences for human health. The study found that elevated CO2 levels and hotter temperatures can exacerbate this decline, particularly affecting essential proteins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Researchers from McGill University and colleagues found that stunted children had lower levels of antibodies against measles by age five. The study suggests that combatting child hunger could help prevent measles outbreaks globally, as undernutrition may affect vaccine protection.
Researchers created a new model to study the effects of undernutrition on the microbiome, which can help identify specific microbes that impact development. The model mimics early childhood experiences and shows promise in understanding the underlying causes of stunted growth and other harmful effects of undernutrition.
A four-component school-based nutritional intervention package improved diet quality among adolescents and their household members, reducing undernutrition and obesity. The study found promising spillover effects into households and communities, highlighting the transformative potential of schools in combating adolescent malnutrition.
A new Stanford-led study shows that adding zinc to farmland soil can help prevent childhood stunting, a condition due to chronic undernutrition that is associated with poor brain development and long-lasting harmful consequences. The researchers found that the presence of zinc in soil helps prevent stunted childhood growth.
Researchers found that providing stunted children with nutrient supplements can reverse impaired development and improve their growth. The study's findings suggest that milk-based supplements are beneficial, but a plant-based alternative is equally effective.
A new study reveals a higher prevalence of stunting and wasting among poor children, while overweight children live in richer homes. Researchers are calling for an integrated approach to tackle the 'double burden' of child malnutrition.
A recent study found that adding just one ounce of walnuts to the typical American diet improves diet quality and increases intakes of under-consumed nutrients. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 8,000 Americans without a history of nut consumption, showing significant benefits for all life stages.
Researchers at the University of Virginia Health System have made important discoveries on the crucial role of malnutrition in global tuberculosis, highlighting how gut infections impair treatment outcomes. A new funding partnership will train Tanzanian postdoctoral researchers to work specifically on this intersection.
A study in Nature Communications finds that strong El Niño events can drive nearly 6 million children into undernutrition, affecting 70% or more of children globally. Proactive climate action could prevent this tragedy by providing targeted interventions to vulnerable areas.
The study found substantial variations in undernutrition across villages, with some areas having rates as low as 5% and others exceeding 70%. A machine-learning model was developed to predict the prevalence of undernutrition in every village, enabling policymakers to prioritize villages struggling with high burdens of undernutrition.
Researchers mapped child anthropometric failure across 597,121 Indian villages to identify geographic hotspots of undernutrition. The study highlights the need for targeted policies and precision mapping to address childhood undernutrition in rural India.
Despite modest progress in some areas, maternal and child undernutrition remains a major global health concern. The Lancet series emphasizes the importance of delivering nutrition interventions within the first 1,000 days of life, but highlights that program delivery has lagged behind the science.
Research finds that climate change increases the risk of undernutrition and diarrheal diseases among young children in flood-prone areas of India. Interventions focused on households with pregnant women and infants can help mitigate these risks by improving access to healthcare, safe drinking water, and sanitation facilities.
Researchers found a significant link between daily mean temperatures and hospitalisations for undernourishment in Brazil. The study estimated that 15.6% of undernutrition hospitalisations could be attributed to heat exposure, with the greatest impact on individuals aged over 80 and those between 5-19 years.
A new study found that daily mean temperatures are associated with increased undernutrition hospitalization rates in Brazil. Heat exposure was estimated to be responsible for 15.6% of undernutrition hospitalization during the study period, with vulnerable populations showing the greatest impact.
A study reveals putative epigenetic signatures of chronic undernutrition tied to growth stunting in humans. Chronic undernutrition can result in persistent effects throughout adulthood, with changes in histone methylation patterns found in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from undernourished children.
Standard BMI may underestimate global obesity levels by over 400-500 million, particularly in East Asian populations with slimmer builds. Researchers propose adjusting BMI cutoffs for basal slenderness to better estimate obesity and undernutrition rates worldwide.
A new study found that over 18 million women in low- and middle-income countries are severely undernourished, with poor women and those with limited education being disproportionately affected. The prevalence of severe adult undernutrition has remained steady or increased in most countries over the past two decades.
A large study of child growth patterns in 36 developing countries found that economic growth is at best associated with small declines in stunting, underweight, and wasting. Targeted nutrition-related interventions are crucial to tackle child undernutrition worldwide.
A large study of child growth patterns in 36 developing countries found that economic growth was associated with small or no declines in stunting, underweight, and wasting. Improvements in public services such as vaccinations and clean water may also lag behind growth in incomes.
The number of children dying every year has decreased by half since 1990, yet progress is under threat due to military and security funding. Countries marred by conflict have high rates of acute and chronic undernutrition, with Africa seeing a 50% increase compared to stable countries.
The Lancet Series highlights the importance of nutrition for breaking global poverty and improving development outcomes. Investments in the first 1000 days of life can prevent undernutrition, overweight, and poor child development outcomes with long-lasting effects on human capital formation.
Key findings highlight the need for prioritized investment in nutrition-specific interventions and maximizing nutrition-sensitivity in national development processes. Effective coordination among sectors requires political calculations and engagement from various organizations.
A study of Western Sahara refugees found that obesity affects more households than acute malnutrition, stunting, and underweight in children. The double burden of obesity and malnutrition is a significant issue in refugee populations, emphasizing the need for targeted food assistance programs.
Research reveals that gut microbes fine-tune body weight by extracting energy from food, with changes in diet and environment significantly altering their composition. The study suggests that therapeutic modification of the gut microbiome may offer a promising approach to treating obesity and related health conditions.
Despite economic growth, childhood undernutrition rates in India have remained relatively stable, with stunting prevalence decreasing and wasting rates showing minimal change. Direct investments in health interventions are necessary to address this issue, according to a new study published in PLOS Medicine.
A study of 54 low- to middle-income countries found that mothers' shorter heights are associated with higher child mortality, underweight, and stunting. A 0.4 inch increase in maternal height was linked to a decreased risk of offspring mortality.
The Lancet Editorial praises DFID's global health successes, including education and undernutrition strategies, but criticizes intragovernmental tensions and fragmentation of responsibilities. The publication calls for a post-election independent review to address these issues and ensure the department's continued success.
A preventive nutrition intervention program targeting all children at risk is more effective than a traditional 'recuperative' model in reducing undernutrition. The study found significant differences between the two models, with stunting and wasting lower in preventive communities by 4-6 percentage points.
Research findings suggest that children born to mothers receiving multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMN) exhibit increased weight and body size compared to those born to mothers given iron and folic acid supplementation alone. These effects persist into the first three years of life, with an average increase of 2% in weight.
The Lancet Series highlights the devastating impact of undernutrition on maternal and child health, with over a third of all child deaths attributed to this cause. Proven interventions like breastfeeding counselling, vitamin A supplementation, and zinc fortification can help address this issue.
The Lancet study highlights the urgent need to address undernutrition in 20 countries accounting for 80% of the world's undernourished children. Interventions with proven effectiveness should be implemented at scale, and programme efforts should focus on the critical window of pregnancy to 24 months of age.
The international nutrition system faces substantial shortcomings in four functional areas: stewardship, resource mobilization, provision of services, and human resource strengthening. The current funding provided by donors is grossly insufficient and poorly targeted, hindering efforts to combat undernutrition.
Breastfeeding counseling and vitamin A supplementation have the potential to cut child deaths by 25%. Implementing these nutrition strategies alongside other interventions could reduce mortality between birth and 36 months by around 25%.
A new study reveals that maternal and child undernutrition is responsible for one-third of child deaths and 11% of global disease burden. The authors estimate that stunting, severe wasting, and other deficiencies cause significant mortality and disability among children under five years.
Childhood undernutrition is associated with reduced adult height, lower levels of schooling, and economic productivity. Children who experience rapid weight gain after infancy are at high risk of chronic diseases related to nutrition.
New research suggests that stunting among children under three in poor countries can be reduced by up to a third, and deaths by up to a quarter, with existing maternal and child nutrition interventions. The Lancet series aims to highlight the impact of undernutrition on child health.
Patients admitted with undernourishment at hospital onset have poorer clinical outcomes and more post-stroke complications. Nutritional support during acute ischemic stroke is crucial to improve functional outcomes.
A new study found that undernutrition significantly contributes to the global malaria burden, particularly in children less than 5 years old. Well-nourished children are better equipped to fight and survive malaria infection.
A new study reveals that improved nutrition can prevent over half of the world's child deaths every year. Researchers found that even mild undernutrition increases a child's risk of dying from diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria, and measles by two-fold. Investing in child nutrition interventions could save millions of young lives.
The WHO leader highlights three key priorities for action: reinstating health as a focus of organizational agendas, scaling up effective interventions to reach more dying children, and building capacity at the district level. Collaborative partnerships are necessary to achieve these goals and reduce child mortality worldwide by two-thi...
The prevalence of overweight in children and adolescents tripled in Brazil, almost doubled in the US, and increased by one-fifth in China over 2-3 decades. Improved economic conditions led to more secure food supplies and inactive leisure time, contributing to childhood obesity.