RATIONALE
Nutritional status greatly infl uences an individual’s growth,
educational attainment, productivity, reproductive success
and susceptibility to disease. The health and fi nancial costs
to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) from malnutrition
– both undernutrition and, increasingly, overnutrition – are
extremely high. Global- and country-level interventions for
improved nutrition have been proven to be both effi cacious
and cost effective, but also require complex, integrated
multi-sectoral input, including that of the private sector.
The potential long-term economic, social and health
impact of nutrition-related health problems necessitates
the immediate prioritization of women and children’s
nutritional needs by communities, national governments,
donors and global partnerships.