Urbanicity and the diets and nutritional status of adolescents and their mothers in Vietnam: Urbanization is reshaping diets around the world, but its effects on adolescent nutrition are not well understood. In this study, Phuong Hong Nguyen, Soyra Gune, Rock Zagré, Gabriela Fretes, Jef Leroy, Marie Ruel, and colleagues find that living in more urbanized areas is associated with healthier diets and greater consumption of nutritious foods, but also with a higher risk of overweight and obesity among adolescents. (Read the article in Journal of Nutrition and the authors’ blog post here)

Crop diversification in Nepal (1990–2022): Policies, practices, and pathways forward: Nepal’s agriculture remains heavily focused on cereals, despite growing climate and market risks that highlight the need for more diversified farming systems. In this study, Avinash Kishore and colleagues examine how crop diversification has evolved over three decades and assess the role of agricultural policies. Their findings underscore the importance of integrated, climate-resilient, and value chain-focused strategies to support diversification. (Read the article in Agricultural Environment and Sustainability)

The gendered effects of rainfall shocks on stunting: Evidence from Papua New Guinea: Jessica Leight, Rishabh Mukerjee, and Emily Schmidt examine how rainfall fluctuations during the first year of life affect child stunting in Papua New Guinea. Their findings suggest that girls may be more vulnerable to the effects of adverse rainfall shocks, pointing to possible inequalities in how limited household resources are allocated during periods of hardship. (Read the article in Economic Letters)

EAT-Lancet diet shift could cut global agriculture CO2 emissions 85% by 2050, researchers find: Nutrition Insight spoke with Timothy Sulser to learn how combining healthier diets, sustainable agricultural intensification, and cutting food waste in half could impact nutrition and health. (Read IFPRI press release about the related study published in Nature.)

India’s growth story has a child nutrition problem: The Wire India quotes Purnima Menon who notes that “the determinants of child nutrition are multiple and interconnected,” and that “improvements in maternal health, healthcare access and child feeding practices can all contribute to better nutrition outcomes.”

Food prices ease in June as focus shifts from war to crops: Bloomberg quotes Joseph Glauber, who said: “The emphasis has shifted back to more traditional fundamentals in the grains and oilseeds markets. Crop conditions look generally good overall.”

How a fertilizer shortage caused by the Iran war could affect U.S. food prices: NPR interviewed Rob Vos for a Morning Edition segment on how fertilizer shortages resulting from the Iran war could affect U.S. food prices. 

How AI can deepen agricultural extension in Nigeria: The Guardian Nigeria reported on the launch of a joint effort between IFPRI and the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) to explore how artificial intelligence can strengthen agricultural extension systems across Africa. 

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