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Viewpoint: Childhood undernutrition: A failing global priority

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Abstract

Undernutrition remains a significant underlying cause of death among children worldwide. Although alleviating hunger is part of the first United Nation's Millennium Development Goal and a declared global priority, undernutrition continues to be prevalent in low-income and middle-income countries throughout the world. The authors review the problem and policies and recommend how, particularly in this time of global economic difficulties, to improve policies to prevent undernutrition. They advocate even greater urgency.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Virginia Health Systems, 409 Lane Road, Building MR4, Room 2115, Charlottesville, 22908, Virginia, USA

    Kristine Peterson

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  1. Kristine Peterson
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Additional information

Undernutrition and hunger kill 6 million children each year, even though United Nations members pledged to reduce hunger by half by 2015. In a world experiencing increasing obesity, the author analyses opportunities for great improvement where children remain most at risk for stunting, wasting, micronutrient deficiencies, disease, and death, in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Peterson, K. Viewpoint: Childhood undernutrition: A failing global priority. J Public Health Pol 30, 455–464 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1057/jphp.2009.37

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