Nutrition

There are four forms of malnutrition.

Malnutrition can take many forms and there are no countries in the world that aren’t affected by it in one way or another.

1. Wasting. Wasting or acute malnutrition: This can happen over a few weeks, mostly affecting young children who don’t eat enough calories or have been sick. Children who are ‘wasted’ are too thin for their height and more vulnerable to disease.
2. Stunting. Stunting or chronic malnutrition either develops over a long time or after several cases of acute malnutrition. Children who are ‘stunted’ are too short for their age and may be more prone to illness.
3. Micronutrient deficiencies. This happens when a diet is not nutritious enough and lacks vitamins and minerals which can cause life-threatening conditions, such as weak immune systems and low birth weight of babies. For example, globally, 30% of women aged 15-49 and 40 per cent of children under five have anaemia.
4. Overnutrition. This is a result of consuming too many calories which are converted to fat. It is affecting an increasing number of children all over the world, causing a raft of medical conditions including Type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

Tackling malnutrition and life-threatening hunger has wide-reaching, positive consequences for improving the health of children and adults alike.

What’s the solution?

Ending malnutrition is possible. And it’s one of the best ways we have to change people’s lives for the better.

A well-nourished, healthy, thriving person is good for their family, their community and their whole economy. They’re generally happier, healthier, safer and more stable than an under-nourished person. That’s why Action Against Hunger focuses hard on diagnosis and treatment, as well as on prevention.

This is how we do it.

We detect

First, we have to diagnose undernutrition. We use ‘mid upper arm circumference’ (MUAC) bands to diagnose malnutrition among those under five. A MUAC band is a tape that measures the circumference of a child’s upper arm, which indicates that the child is malnourished or healthy.

We train parents and caregivers to use MUAC bands so they can spot the signs of malnutrition early. And if picked up quickly, we reduce the incidence of childhood death and disease.

We have also developed a photo app to diagnose malnutrition more quickly and easily. This can be used by community-based health workers.

We treat

If a child is diagnosed with severe or acute malnutrition, we provide treatment in the form of a special peanut-based paste called ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF).

Children can mostly be treated at home in their community, although severe cases may require hospitalisation.

Still less than 30% of severely acutely malnourished children are able to access the treatment they need.

As a leading technical organisation in the prevention and treatment of malnutrition, we play a key role in piloting new approaches. This helps ensure all children affected by malnutrition can receive the care they need.

We prevent

Prevention, though, remains the best cure.

Our expertise in preventing and treating undernutrition is internationally renowned, thanks to our 40 years of operational experience in areas of the world where hunger is most severe and entrenched.

We work with mothers and caretakers to improve care, feeding and hygiene practices to ensure that children receive the right food. Our health workers provide children with treatment for infections, illnesses, and micronutrient deficiencies to ensure their healthy development.

We will continue until we have ended the scourge of malnutrition across the world.