Responding to the crisis in sub-Saharan Africa: The role of nutrition
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Date
2006
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Abstract
In the chapter dealing with education and health, the report of the influential
Commission for Africa prioritises basic health systems, HIV/AIDS, malaria and
tuberculosis. In contrast, nutrition is given less than half a page and is reduced to
parasite control and micronutrient support. Such neglect of nutrition is hard to
understand in the context of increasing hunger and malnutrition across the continent.
Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region in the world where the proportion of
underweight children has stagnated and the absolute numbers have actually
increased in the last decade. It has been pointed out that if current trends continue
sub-Saharan Africa will achieve the Millennium Development Goal for child mortality
around 2115 – one century after the target date. Quite clearly those concerned with
nutrition need to more powerfully advocate the role of nutrition in lifting Africa out of
the spiral of poverty. The present paper argues that to achieve this requires an
understanding not just of the critical role of nutrition for health and development
(both individual and national), but also of how recent global changes are interacting
with changes in food production and supply, other determinants of maternal and
child health, and the role and capacity of the state to tackle malnutrition in Africa. It
concludes by suggesting some responses that nutritionists could now be making.
Description
Keywords
Public health, Nutrition, sub-Saharan Africa, Agriculture, Globalisation
Citation
Chopra, M., & Darnton-Hill, I. (2006). Responding to the crisis in sub-Saharan Africa: The role of nutrition. Public Health Nutrition, 9 (5), 544-550. 10.1079/phn2006948