Poor nutrition in various forms is seen in all countries around the world. Malnutrition can result from a lack or excess of certain nutrients, or nutrients in the wrong proportions; acute malnutrition (wasting or thinness); chronic malnutrition (stunting or short stature); micronutrient malnutrition; and overweight and obesity are all pressing public health issues, often co-existing in the same populations. The underlying causes of malnutrition- lack of access to sufficient, high-quality, safe and acceptable food; a deficient health environment; and inadequate childcare practices- continue to lead to high rates of child malnutrition, morbidity and mortality.
IFPRI’s work seeks to understand the drivers of poor nutrition, including poverty and agriculture practices, and to design, test and evaluate programs and policies to improve nutrition, particularly from conception to 2 years of age, the 1000-day window of opportunity for the reduction of undernutrition.