Health & food systems
Malnutrition
Deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person's intake of energy and nutrients, covering undernutrition, micronutrient deficiency, overweight and obesity.
Definition
Malnutrition, per WHO, refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person's intake of energy and/or nutrients. It encompasses undernutrition (wasting, stunting, underweight), inadequate vitamins or minerals (micronutrient malnutrition), and overweight, obesity and resulting diet-related noncommunicable diseases — the "double burden" that can coexist in one country, household or individual.
References
definition, double burden, SDG 2 framing
Overview
What it means
Malnutrition is not only hunger: a person can be overfed yet malnourished. Climate change worsens it by disrupting food production, reducing crop nutrient content and intensifying price shocks, while unhealthy food environments drive obesity.
How it is used
Global targets under SDG 2 track stunting, wasting, anaemia and obesity; food-system sustainability strategies link nutrition outcomes to agricultural and trade policy.
Why it matters
Malnutrition in all its forms is among the largest drivers of disease and lost human potential worldwide, and sustainable food systems must deliver nutrition, not merely calories.
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