Maternal and child nutrition: Building momentum for impact

摘要

In the 5 years since the Maternal and Child Under-nutrition Series was published in The Lancet there has been a substantial increase in commitment to reduction of malnutrition at global and national levels. Most development agencies have developed or revised their strategies to address undernutrition focused on the first 1000 days of life the period from pregnancy to a child's second birthday-as called for in the 2008 Series. One of the main drivers of this new international momentum is the Scaling Up Nutrition movement. National commitment in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) is growing, donor funding is rising, and civil society and the private sector are increasingly engaged. Despite this progress, improvements in nutrition still represent a massive unfinished agenda. The 165 million children with stunted growth in 2011 have compromised cognitive development and physical capabilities, making yet another generation less productive than they would otherwise be. to achieve the nutritional security that is needed for a healthy and productive life. Undernutrition is estimated to reduce a nation's economic advancement by at least 8% (direct productivity losses, losses via poorer cognition, and losses via reduced schooling).Although preventable child mortality continues to decrease, undernutrition is responsible for 45% of deaths of children younger than 5 years, amounting to more than 3 million deaths each year. Deficiencies of essential vitamins and minerals are widespread and have important adverse effects on child survival and development. Additionally, overweight in adults and increasingly in children constitutes an emerging burden that is quickly establishing itself globally, affecting both poor and rich populations.