Protein-energy malnutrition
Poor nutrition leads to ill health and ill health contributes to further deterioration in nutritional status. These effects are most dramatically observed in infants and young children, who bear the brunt of the onset of malnutrition and suffer the highest risk of disability and death associated with it. In 2001, 54% of all childhood mortality was attributable, directly or indirectly, to malnutrition.
The children who die represent only a small part of the total disease burden due to malnutrition. The incidence of malnutrition rises sharply during the period from 6–18 months of age in most countries, and the deficits acquired at this age are difficult to compensate for later in childhood. Malnourished children who survive are more frequently sick and show poorer school performance, impaired intellectual and social development. Childhood stunting leads to a significant reduction in adult size. One of the consequences of small adult size resulting from childhood stunting is reduced work capacity, which in turn has an impact on economic productivity at the national level.
It is now universally accepted that children the world over have much the same growth potential. Environmental factors, including infectious diseases, inadequate and unsafe diet, and all the handicaps of poverty, appear to be far more important than genetic predisposition in producing deviation from the reference. Malnutrition in the Western Pacific Region is steadily decreasing, although progress is unevenly distributed and malnutrition rates in some countries remain disturbingly high. A summary of the PEM situation in the Region is available.
[more on this health topic]
Fact sheets
No fact sheets available at this time.
News and press releases
No news/press releases available at this time.
Relevant publications and documents
Workshop on the Implementation of Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health in Asian Countries, 10-13 October 2006, Manila, Philippines
A workshop on the Implementation of the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health (DPAS) in Asian Countries was held in Manila, Philippines from 10 to13 October 2006. This was the second workshop on the DPAS implementation in the Western Pacific Region.
Development of food-based dietary guidelines for the Western Pacific Region
Indtroduces the concept of food-based dietary guidelines as a powerful new tool for addressing the changing nutrition needs of Western Pacific countries. The book, which gives particular attention to diet-related chronic diseases, is issued at a time when Western Pacific countries are experiencing dramatic urbanization, population ageing, changing lifestyles, and a corresponding upsurge in the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity and other chronic diseases.
[more publications and documents]
Upcoming meetings and events
No meeting/event planned at this time.