 | 4th Report on the World Nutrition Situation - Nutrition throughout the Life Cycle (ACC/SCN, 2000, 138 p.) |
 |  | (introduction...) |
| | ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE ON COORDINATION/SUB-COMMITTEE ON NUTRITION - (ACC/SCN) THE UN SYSTEM’S FORUM FOR NUTRITION |
| | INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE |
| | FOREWORD |
| | HIGHLIGHTS |
| | CONTRIBUTORS |
| | ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS |
| | LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS |
| | PREFACE |
|  | CHAPTER 1: NUTRITION THROUGHOUT THE LIFE CYCLE |
| | (introduction...) |
| | 1.1 Intrauterine Growth Retardation (IUGR) |
| | 1.2 Undernutrition in Preschool Children |
| | 1.3 The Growth of School-Age Children |
| | 1.4 Adolescent Nutrition |
| | 1.5 Adult Malnutrition |
| | 1.6 Nutrition of Older People in Developing Countries |
| | Summary |
| | CHAPTER 2: MICRONUTRIENT UPDATE |
| | (introduction...) |
| | 2.1 Iron Deficiency Update |
| | 2.2 Iodine Deficiency Disorders Update |
| | 2.3 Vitamin A Deficiency Update |
| | 2.4 Multiple Micronutrient Deficiencies |
| | Summary |
| | CHAPTER 3: BREASTFEEDING AND COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING |
| | (introduction...) |
| | 3.1 Evidence Linking Breastfeeding to Improved Outcomes |
| | 3.2 Evidence Linking Complementary Feeding to Improved Outcomes |
| | 3.3 Conceptualizing Infant Feeding Behaviours |
| | 3.4 HIV and Infant Feeding |
| | 3.5 Breastfeeding and Complementary Feeding Patterns and Trends |
| | 3.6 Role of National and International Initiatives in Support of Optimal Infant Feeding |
| | 3.7 Looking Forward: The Importance of Exclusive Breastfeeding |
| | CHAPTER 4: NUTRITION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT |
| | (introduction...) |
| | 4.1 The Relevance of Nutrition for Development |
| | 4.2 The Implications of Some Global Phenomena for Nutrition |
| | 4.3 The Ascent of Human Rights in Development |
| | Summary |
| | CHAPTER 5: NUTRITION OF REFUGEES AND DISPLACED POPULATIONS |
| | (introduction...) |
| | 5.1 Trends in Numbers of People Affected |
| | 5.2 Overview of the Humanitarian Response to Emergencies |
| | 5.3 Trends in Assessment Methodologies |
| | 5.4 Trends in Food and Nutrition Response Programmes |
| | 5.5 Trends in Information Sharing and Learning |
| | 5.6 Case Studies: The Scale and Severity of Nutritional Problems among Refugees and Displaced Populations |
| | 5.7 Future Directions |
| | Summary |
| | APPENDICES |
| | Appendix 1: Conceptualizing Nutrition Problems in Society |
| | Appendix 2: Countries in the UN Regions and Sub-Regions |
| | Appendix 3: Methods to Estimate Trends in Undernutrition Prevalence: A Review |
| | Appendix 4: Statistical Notes for Sections 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 |
| | Appendix 5: Latest National Prevalence of Stunting and Underweight in Preschool Children |
| | Appendix 6: Explaining Trends in Child Underweight in the Developing World |
| | Appendix 7: Data Employed for Analysis of Child Underweight Rates in Sub-Saharan Africa |
| | Appendix 8: Prevalence and Numbers of Overweight Preschool Children in 1995 |
| | Appendix 9: Countries Classified by WHO Regions |
| | Appendix 10: National Implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes |
| | Appendix 11: Summary of Five Studies of the Social Impacts of the Indonesian Crisis |
| | Appendix 12: Some Food and Nutrition Information and Data Resources on the Internet |
| | REFERENCES |
| | BACK COVER |
Summary
A new wave of evidence confirms the importance of nutrition to development. In particular, recent evidence shows strong links between infant undernutrition and cognitive development. This new evidence re-emphasizes the crucial role played by nutrition in the acceleration of development, no matter how it is defined. The link between foetal undernutrition and adult chronic disease has implications for development policy, including strengthening the economic productivity rationale for investing in nutrition. The community-based approach by the nutrition community serves as a model for other sectors to emulate, re-affirming the importance of community empowerment to the overall development process.
The broad changes taking place on the global stage also have implications for the nutrition community. The freer flow of finances, food, and information presents opportunities and challenges to the nutrition community. For example, the East Asian financial crisis of 1997 and 1998 threatens to eradicate the gains in nutrition status made by a large proportion of an entire generation. The increased liberalization of food trade requires the establishment of a benchmark set of food standards. Such benchmarks exist in the Codex Alimentarius and associated agreements, which might become blueprints for effective international regulation in a global environment. Although access to information and knowledge is uneven, their scope for accelerating declines in malnutrition seems very large indeed. The rapid rate of urbanization poses new challenges to the food and nutrition community and will require new models and approaches.
Finally, the human rights paradigm has emerged as a potentially powerful way of thinking about and practicing development. Nutrition is about much more than economic productivity arguments; it is about fundamental rights. A final challenge for all the readers of this document will be to work out - and to share with others - ways in which the potential of the human rights paradigm can be further unleashed to enhance every available resource in the fight against malnutrition.
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