Nutrition
The double burden of malnutrition: case studies from six developing countries
Analysing the prevalence of over- and under-nutrition in China, Egypt, India, Mexico, the Philippines and South Africa
Authors:
; Food and Agricultural Organisation
Publisher:
Food and Nutrition Division, FAO, 2006
This Food and Agriculture Organization publication assesses the extent of the "double burden" of malnutrition in six developing countries – China, Egypt, India, Mexico, the Philippines and South Africa. The "double burden" of malnutrition refers to under- and over- nutrition occurring simultaneously within a population. The paper summarises trends in dietary changes and accompanying changes in nutritional status over the past 20 years, and identifies programmes currently in place or needed to prevent and manage nutritional problems. The study finds that: in India and the Philippines there is a high prevalence of under-nutrition in both children and adults; in South Africa, obesity is more of a problem for adults than being underweight; and in China, Egypt and Mexico the prevalence of overweight people is high and rapidly increasing.
The paper concludes that most countries in the study are struggling to some degree with the double burden of malnutrition. The authors recommend that programmes and policies should be aimed at both prevention and control: in India and the Philippines, reducing child and adult under-nutrition should remain a top priority; in Egypt, Mexico and to a lesser degree China, and South Africa, focus needs to be directed to early detection and treatment of overweight and obesity.
