Scaling up nutrition: a framework for action

This policy brief promotes the value of nutrition interventions, especially those focused on the “window of opportunity” from pregnancy to two years old, in reducing death, disease and avoiding irreversible long-term health effects. Under-nutrition is one of the world’s most serious but least addressed health problems. The human and economic costs are enormous, falling hardest on the very poor and on women and children. The main purpose of the brief, targeted at policy makers and opinion leaders, is to provide an outline of the emerging framework of key considerations, principles and priorities for action to address under-nutrition. It also aims to mobilise support for increased investment in a set of nutrition interventions across different sectors. The main elements within the framework for action are:

• Sharply scale up interventions to prevent and treat under-nutrition, with highest priority to the minus 9 to 24 month window of opportunity.
• Nutrition strategies and programmes must be context-specific and must build on a country’s specific needs and capacities, whilst drawing on international evidence of good practice.
• Interventions should be integrated in all related sectors, such as agriculture and food security, social protection, and health, including maternal and child health care. Cross-cutting issues such as gender, governance and state fragility need to be addressed.