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Thirty Third Session of the Standing Committee on Nutrition
Geneva, Switzerland, 13-17 March 2006
Double Burden of Malnutrition - A Common Agenda
The participants in the 33rd Annual Session of the SCN
Agree current actions to combat malnutrition in all its forms are
insufficient. Also agree that an adequate response to ensure that malnutrition
is no longer a major impediment to human development in the next generation
requires unprecedented collaboration. It means that the UN family, national
governments, civil society and the private sector must come together in a broad
based alliance with one vision. This collaboration should be developed within
the promotion and protection of all human rights, especially the right to
adequate food and the right to the highest attainable standards of health.
The Problem
We live in a world of great and increasing inequity between and within
countries. This is unacceptable.
In this world, 800 million people are suffering from undernourishment and
about 170 million infants and young children are underweight. More than 5
million children die each year as a result of under-nutrition.
And further, billions of people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies
(so-called 'hidden hunger’) especially of iron, vitamin A, iodine and zinc.
Under-nutrition is the main threat to health and well-being not only in middle-
and low-income countries but also globally.
At the same time, childhood obesity is becoming a recognized problem even in
low income countries. More than a billion adults worldwide are overweight, of
which 300 million are obese.
These issues are still perceived to be separate. In reality both are often
rooted in poverty and co-exist in communities, and even the same households, in
most countries.
While under-nutrition kills in early life, it also leads to a high risk of
disease and death later in life.
This is the double burden of malnutrition.
This double burden of malnutrition has common causes, inadequate foetal and
infant and young child nutrition followed by exposure (including through
marketing practices) to unhealthy energy dense nutrient poor foods and lack of
physical activity. The window of opportunity lies from pre-pregnancy to around
24 months of a child's age. Schools provide a natural setting for effective
interventions for older ages and to promote adequate nutrition to future
mothers.
Malnutrition in all its forms amounts to an intolerable burden not only on
national health systems but the entire cultural, social and economic fabric of
nations, and is the greatest impediment to the fulfilment of human potential.
Yet, despite the impact of malnutrition in all its forms on mortality,
morbidity, and national economies only 1.8% of the total resources for
health-related development assistance are allocated to nutrition activities. Of
the World Bank's total assistance to developing countries only 0.7% is for
nutrition and food security. At country level, the financial commitment is even
less.
Adequate food is a human right and good nutrition is essential to achieve the
aims of the Millennium Declaration, including those expressed by the Millennium
Development Goals. Without progress towards tackling malnutrition, these goals
will not be achieved.
The Solution
UN agencies, bilateral partners, civil society have come together to help put
nutrition at the centre of development. We collectively urge:
National governments, in their internal policies, and also through their
foreign policies and development assistance, to promote nutrition actions that
reduce under and over-nutrition and diet-related chronic diseases. They should
do this within the context of respecting, protecting and fulfilling the right to
adequate food, and should ensure that these actions are adequately funded.
UN agencies, to act together through the UN system SCN in the context of the
UN reform to accelerate the prevention and mitigation of all forms of
malnutrition throughout the life cycle, towards the achievement of the MDGs and
beyond. The UN agencies should also promote the integration of nutrition
programmes at country level and mainstream them into national development
policies.
Civil Society and non-governmental organizations, to advocate and adopt
policies and practices that tackle the double burden of malnutrition and hold
governments accountable at all levels. The private sector, especially those in
the food and beverage business, to support the achievement of the MDGs including
by adopting responsible marketing practices on breastmilk substitutes and
energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods and drinks.
All constituents of the SCN will work together to raise the profile of
nutrition and to increase the investments in nutrition at global, national and
local level to tackle the double burden of malnutrition with one shared vision.
The top priorities are to:
- Empower all women and protect their nutrition, human rights and
entitlements and those of their children, through knowledge, skills, policies
and regulations.
- Focus on the window of opportunity from pre-conception to around 24 months
of age, the critical period when the foundation for life long health is set.
- Urge schools, including pre-schools, to be nutrition and physical
activity-friendly, in order to promote health and well being throughout life.
- Promote the production and consumption of culturally appropriate foods
that are rich in micronutrients, and promote micronutrient supplementation
when and where needed.
- Recognize that the basic determinants of health and disease are social and
environmental, and ensure healthy choices are accessible, affordable and safe.
- Target the poor and socially marginalized, including indigenous
populations, people living in emergencies and those affected by HIV/AIDS.
- Build awareness, institutional capacity and leadership at national,
sub-national, community and global levels for accelerating action on
nutrition.
Geneva, 17 March 2006
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United Nations System