Good Nutrition is Fundamental
Good nutrition is fundamental for proper health and development, yet roughly 2 billion people around the world lack access to the essential nutrients they need to lead healthy lives. Undernutrition — characterized by a lack of micronutrients, protein, and essential fats — is one of the most serious global challenges. The good news is, we know what works!
Ensuring adolescent girls, pregnant women, new mothers, and young children receive essential nutrients — such as vitamin A, iodine, iron, zinc, and folic acid — is a proven and cost-effective way to improve the health and well-being of millions of people and communities around the world. And good nutrition during the 1,000-day period from pregnancy to a child’s second year of life puts children on the right track to grow up healthier, smarter, and even have more earning potential throughout their lifetime.
Investing in improved nutrition not only leads to improved health, but also supports progress in education and poverty alleviation. The world’s leading economists agree that investing in nutrition interventions is one of the most cost-effective ways to meet the world’s development challenges, even increasing a country’s GDP by 2-3% per year.
The Future Fortified campaign seeks to help millions of women and children around the world gain access to the essential nutrients they need to lead healthy and enriched lives.
Global Nutrition 101
- Nearly 2 billion people around the world suffer from a lack of proper nutrition.
- Globally, 1 in 3 of all childhood deaths are due to maternal & child undernutrition while malnutrition contributes to 3.5 million maternal and childhood deaths each year.
- 11% of diseases globally are caused by undernutrition.
- 60% of the developing world is physically stunted which is generally caused by diets that are lacking sufficient nutrients and by high rates of infectious disease.
Sources: The World Bank, "Scaling Up Nutrition: What Will it Cost?" 2010 The Lancet, "Maternal and Child Undernutrition," Special Series, 2008 Copenhagen Consensus Challenge Paper, "Hunger and Malnutrition," 2004 The Micronutrient Initiative, "Investing in the future, a united call to action on vitamin and mineral deficiencies, Global Report," 2009.
