Good nutrition plays a fundamental role in human health, survival and development. Better nutrition is linked to better infant, child and maternal health, stronger immune systems, safer pregnancy and childbirth, lower risk of non-communicable diseases (such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases) and longevity.
Malnutrition, in all its forms, presents significant threats to human health. Today, the world faces a double burden of malnutrition, which includes both undernutrition and overweight, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
WHO provides scientific advice and decision support tools that can help countries take action to combat all forms of malnutrition to support the health and well-being of all people, at all ages.
Essential nutrition actions to achieve optimal health and nutritional well-being are identified throughout life. The Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition aim to end hunger and eradicate all forms of malnutrition worldwide. The two faces of malnutrition include undernutrition, such as wasting, stunting and micronutrient deficiencies, as well as those associated with dietary imbalance and excess, such as overweight, obesity or non-communicable diseases (NCDs). ) related to food.
There is a potential for double-duty actions to effectively and simultaneously address the global challenge of the double burden of malnutrition. Dual-function actions through integrated interventions, programs and policies have the potential to improve nutritional outcomes across the spectrum of malnutrition.
