Podcasts about undernutrition

A nutricionista e pesquisadora, Aline Martins de Carvalho, fala sobre as complexidades das mudanças climáticas e seu impacto direto na nutrição e nos sistemas alimentares. A discussão ilumina a intersecção entre obesidade, desnutrição e os desafios climáticos, destacando a importância crítica da Rede Resiclima e das políticas públicas efetivas. Ao explorar os efeitos das mudanças climáticas na produção e no consumo de alimentos, Aline oferece insights valiosos sobre como garantir um futuro sustentável e saudável através da adaptação dos sistemas alimentares e da promoção de práticas alimentares responsáveis. A conversa abrange desde o papel fundamental da educação alimentar na redução do desperdício até a necessidade de uma colaboração mais ampla para enfrentar as questões de segurança alimentar agravadas pelas mudanças climáticas. Aline Martins de Carvalho é nutricionista, mestre e doutora em Nutrição em Saúde Pública pela Faculdade de Saúde Pública da USP. Realizou estágios de pesquisa junto à Harvard School of Public Health e University of Michigan. Atualmente é professora doutora junto ao Departamento de Nutrição da Faculdade de Saúde Pública da USP, participa do Grupo de Estudos em Saúde Planetária do IEA/USP, da Comissão Especial de Sustentabilidade, Mudanças Climáticas e Cultura Alimentar da Abeso, da Rede de Estudos sobre Mudanças Climáticas (Resiclima) e é coordenadora do Núcleo de Pesquisa e Extensão da USP Sustentarea. Essa é a segunda de uma série especial de cinco entrevistas com pesquisadores ligados à Rede Resiclima. A Rede Resiclima é uma colaboração interinstitucional que reúne pesquisadores dedicados ao estudo das mudanças climáticas. Originária de diversas instituições acadêmicas, como UFPE, UFRPE, UFPB, UPE, UFMA, Unifesspa, USP, UnB, UFRN, PUC-Rio, UFU, Universidad Nacional del Comahue (Argentina), Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo (México), University of Michigan (EUA) e University of Helsinki (Finlândia), a rede promove uma abordagem integrada para entender as variadas dimensões das transformações climáticas e suas implicações. Os projetos da Rede Resiclima são financiados pelo CNPq REDE RESICLIMA - Site - Instagram Aline Martins de Carvalho - Lattes - Artigos Publicados - Instagram - Youtube ********** Referências ********** Manifesto Sustentarea para Sistemas Alimentares Sustentáveis Guia Alimentar para a População Brasileira “Food in the Anthropocene: The EAT–Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems” “The Global Syndemic of Obesity, Undernutrition, and Climate Change: The Lancet Commission Report” “Measuring Food Systems Sustainability in Heterogenous Countries: The Brazilian Multidimensional Index Updated Version Applicability” ********** Apoie o Canal ********** Apoio mensal: https://apoia.se/podcastuniversogeneralista PIX: universogeneralista@gmail.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/universogeneralista/message

Asian countries stand out worldwide, with our vibrant and wholesome cultures, but there is a harsh reality here that demands our collective attention.  53 percent of women, 45 percent of men, and 8 percent of school-age children or adolescents are overweight or obese, creating a double burden of malnutrition in Southeast Asia.  Recognising this urgency, our next guest embarked on a mission rooted in holistic wellness. Dr Mark Leong, CEO and Founder, Farmz Asia shares his mission. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Protein Quality, Nutrient Bioavailability & A Global Perspective on Animal Agriculture While plant-source foods provide important nutrients in our diets, animal-source foods contain more bioavailable sources of multiple critically needed macro- and micronutrients that can contribute to proper physical and cognitive growth of children. In rural parts of developing countries, these animal-source foods are vital for preventing undernutrition and allowing proper growth and brain development in children. Tune into this episode to learn about: ·       The latest research on animal-source foods in healthy and sustainable diets ·       Nutrient intake of children in developing countries ·       How developing countries approach sustainable agriculture differently than the U.S. ·       Protein quality of different foods and food groups ·       Bioavailability of micro and macronutrients ·       Global biofortification efforts ·       Challenges in increasing consumption of animal-source foods in developing countries ·       A global perspective on animal agriculture ·       The Dublin Declaration of Scientists and the societal role of meat ·       Climate-smart approaches to livestock production ·       Pros/cons of cultured meat Full shownotes, transcript and resources at: https://soundbitesrd.com/250            

On this week's episode I am super excited to be introducing you to our next special guest acting Clinical Director of SA Psychology & Wellness, Clinical Psychologist, and board approved Supervisor Dr. Julee La Mott. Julie immigrated to Adelaide in 2018 from California in the US where she invested 10 years pursuing a higher level of education graduating with a clinical doctoral program from the University of La Verne. Prior to moving to Australia, Julee ran her own practice, worked several years in the medical fields, worked in community mental health clinics, provided counselling at University centres and within academic settings. Dr La Mott also has extensive experience conducting psychoeducational, neuropsychological and psychological evaluations or assessments on clients. Dr. La Mott is a highly skilled clinician who supports clients with a range of presentations including but not limited to Eating Disorders, Anxiety, ADHD, Depression, Self- Harm, Grief and Loss, ASD, Relationship issues as well as Generalised and Complex Trauma. Julie values a collaborate approach to therapy and really nurtures the approach to therapy that works with each individual uniquely. Julee is one of a small group of Psychologists in Australia with advanced training in Gottman Method for Couples Therapy. Having assisted hundreds of couples in improving the quality of their relationships. Julee is also extremely passionate about providing a space for all clients to be able to explore their thoughts, feelings, relationships and personal experiences. Valuing the role of coming alongside clients lives to support them along their journeys. On this weeks episode I am delighted to be speaking about the topic of Undernutrition on the brain with Dr. La Mott. Undernutrition or restriction can impact the brain and body tremendously beyond what some people are really able to articulate. When restriction or an eating disorder starts to impact the brain there are various psychical, emotional, cognitive and social symptoms that people will experience. Depending on the duration of the eating disorder or the restriction it can greatly impact the various levels of these effects. To help people who may be experiencing some of the effects of undernutrition on the brain or have experienced it in the past Julee so beautifully will shed some light on what is actually happening in the brain and the body when someone experiences high levels of undernutrition. So on that note enjoy our phenomenal guest Julee! Podcast Summary: 1.    Undernutrition from restriction or an Eating Disorder 2.    The symptoms of undernutrition on the brain 3.    The links between the gut and the brain 4.    Your brain requires so much energy to function daily! 5.    Undernourishment impairing key functions  Links to Dr. Julee La Mott SA Psychology and Wellness: https://sapsychologyandwellness.com.au/ Links from the episode: BodyMatters Australasia Website: https://bodymatters.com.au/ BodyMatters Instagram: bodymattersau Butterfly Foundation Helpline:  Call their National Helpline on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

The untimely death of a vegan influencer from malnutrition has sparked discussion about malnutrition and undernutrition. Social media fad diets often leave a lot to be desired, as they can restrict vital nutrients and potentially lead to future health issues Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara says insufficient calorie consumption can lead to lack of energy and rapid weight loss- a balanced diet is key. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode, I am so excited to be bringing back our much loved guest and provisional psychologist here at BodyMatters Harriet Iles. Harriet has completed a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences at the University of Adelaide. Also having completed her Honours year in psychology at the University of Sydney. On this weeks episode we will be exploring the topic of starvation syndrome. Enjoy! Podcast Summary: 1. The Minnesota Starvation Experiment 2. Starvation syndrome signs and symptoms 3. A significant calorie deficit gives rise to symptoms of starvation 4. Undernutrition on the brain 5. How to reverse symptoms of starvation syndrome Links from the episode: BodyMatters Australasia Website: https://bodymatters.com.au/ BodyMatters Instagram: bodymattersau Butterfly Foundation Helpline: Call their National Helpline on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

India is suffering from a double whammy of malnutrition. On the one hand, we are dealing with undernutrition and overnutrition on the other. In this episode, Megha Pardhi and Harshit Kukreja talk about malnutrition, public nutrition, and clinical nutrition.Suggested Reading: Takshashila Discussion Document - Nutritional Outcomes in Karnataka: Analysis and RecommendationsYou can follow Megha Pardhi on twitter: https://twitter.com/pardhimegha21You can follow Harshit Kukreja on twitter: https://twitter.com/harshitk43Check out Takshashila's courses: https://school.takshashila.org.in/You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at https://shows.ivmpodcasts.com/featuredDo follow IVM Podcasts on social media.We are @IVMPodcasts on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.https://twitter.com/IVMPodcastshttps://www.instagram.com/ivmpodcasts/?hl=enhttps://www.facebook.com/ivmpodcasts/Follow the show across platforms:Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Gaana, Amazon MusicDo share the word with you folks!

Did you know that our current food systems produce between 20-35% of global greenhouse gas emissions? But how can reverse the issues presented in the Global Syndemic?The second episode re-introduces the Global Syndemic of Obesity, Undernutrition and Climate Change report that was published by the Lancet Commission on Obesity in 2019 and focuses on discussing how and why we can transform our food systems.The episode is hosted by Claudia Batz, Policy and Projects Coordinator at the World Obesity Federation, and Dara Karakolis, Co-coordinator of the Act4Food Act4Change Campaign.They speak to Prof Corinna Hawkes, Professor of Food Policy at City, University London. She was also a Commissioner on the Lancet Commission on Obesity amongst many other roles! Read her regular blog here.Claudia and Dara are also joined by Bernis Cunningham – Director of the Planting Change Foundation in Nicaragua and Act4Food Act4Change leader. Bernis is dedicated to engaging youth and communities in environmental management. Useful linksLancet Global Syndemic of Obesity, Undernutrition and Climate Change Report.World Obesity Federation's Policy Dossier on Food Systems and Obesity.Planting Change FoundationGlobal Youth Statement for leaders @COP26.Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report (2022)GuestsProf. Corinna Hawkes - @CorinnaHawkes Bernis Cunningham Thanks to the Podcast Company and Jonathan Hart for production and editing. The podcast was produced with support from the Wellcome Trust.

A complex web of factors affects our ability not only to meet nutritional needs, but also our efforts to sustain biodiversity and protect the environment. As the world's agricultural, environmental, and nutritional needs intersect—and often collide—how can nations, international organizations and consumers work together to reverse the damage by changing how we make, distribute, and buy food? And do we have the right to eat wrongly?Jessica Fanzo is the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Global Food & Agricultural Policy and Ethics at Johns Hopkins University. She has previously worked as an advisor for various organizations and governments including the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the Scaling Up Nutrition movement (SUN), the UN Standing Committee on Nutrition (UNSCN), and the World Health Organization (WHO). Her latest book is Can Fixing Dinner Fix the Planet? Inextricably bound together by food (OECD forum)It's Her Time: Jess Fanzo  (Worldwildlife.org)The Future of Food (video interview, CGTN)Twitter: @jessfanzoHost:Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPodApple Google Spotify YouTubehttps://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Today is our last installment of our mini-series on Seniors and Nutrition and to finish the series we will be talking about how to prevent and detect malnutrition in the elderly. First, we will discuss what malnutrition is and what it looks like in older adults. Then, we'll cover some of the factors that contribute to malnutrition. Finally, we'll end with ways you can help your loved one avoid poor nutrition, and in turn, malnutrition. Now let's move on to the rest of the show.   Good nutrition is important for everyone, regardless of age, but is especially important for older adults. According to the World Health Organization, malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person's intake of energy and/or nutrients. The term malnutrition covers 2 broad groups of conditions, undernutrition and overweight, obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.   Undernutrition includes stunting, which is low height for age, wasting, which is low weight for height, underweight, which is low weight for age, and micronutrient deficiencies or insufficiencies, which are a lack of important vitamins and minerals.   Approximately 2.4 billion adults worldwide are experiencing malnutrition, with 1.9 billion being overweight and 462 million being underweight. In some cases, people may be overweight and also exhibiting micronutrient deficiencies or may be underweight and have diabetes. Because there are many types of malnutrition, it can be hard to spot if your loved one is experiencing a form of malnutrition or not.   But left unchecked, malnutrition can cause a host of other issues. According to the Mayo Clinic, malnutrition in older adults can cause them to have a weakened immune system, which increases the risk of infections. It also can cause poor wound healing, muscle weakness and decreased bone mass, which can lead to falls and fractures, a higher risk of hospitalization, and an increased risk of death.   The Alliance for Aging Research has created a pocket film that covers who is at risk for malnutrition, the debilitating impact it can have on older adults, tips for identifying the condition, and how it can be treated and prevented. We're covering some of the key points of the video, but if you would like to watch the full thing, you can find the link to it in our show notes for today's episode.   According to the Alliance for Aging Research, Malnutrition can happen to anyone, but older adults are particularly at risk, as they are more likely to have chronic conditions that put them at risk for malnutrition. Some illnesses and diseases, like cancer and Alzheimer's, can change an older adult's appetite and metabolism and they can also require dietary restrictions that can make eating difficult.   When we picture malnutrition, we often picture starving children in third world countries or even the animals on the ASPCA commercials, but malnutrition is everywhere and far more common than we think. Malnutrition doesn't always look like someone is starving. Actually, most malnutrition cases, at least in the US, tend to look like the opposite. What's even more concerning about malnutrition, it can be impossible to see until it's too late.   Older adults often experience illnesses, diseases, or accidents that require them to be hospitalized or require them to be in a long-term care facility, both of which lead to a higher risk of malnutrition. As we age, our bodies go through changes that also can lead towards malnutrition, which is another reason that older adults are at a higher risk.   As we get older, our sense of smell and taste weakens, and things that we once enjoyed may not taste as good as they once did. Our digestive system can also slow with age, and take longer to digest meals, making us feel fuller throughout the day, but leave us lacking essential calories and nutrients. As we get older, our bodies may not be able to absorb nutrients as well, either. So, your loved one may be eating the same foods that once brought them a lot of energy, but now doesn't have the same effects.   According to the American Society for Prenatal and Enteral Nutrition, or ASPEN, malnutrition in seniors often mirrors the signs of aging. Unplanned weight loss, feeling weak or tired, loss of appetite, swelling or fluid accumulation, and being able to eat only in small amounts are all signs that your loved one is malnourished, but they are also signs of aging. If you suspect your loved one may be malnourished, talk to their doctor immediately so they can get the calories and nutrients their body needs. Now that you know what malnutrition is and what it can look like in older adults, let's move on to factors that contribute to malnutrition.   Cognitive diseases like Alzheimer's can make it difficult for your loved one to remember to eat. Mobility issues can also make it more difficult for your loved one to shop for their groceries, cook their own meals, and eat on their own. Some treatments and medications can also require dietary restrictions and cause your loved one to have a loss of appetite, leading them to become malnourished.   According to ASPEN, the causes of malnutrition in older adults are a complex blend of physical, social, and psychological issues — from the loss of appetite due to depression to the inability to get to the store for groceries. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of malnourished older adults is critical. If it goes on undetected for too long, irreversible damage and even death can occur.   Mayo Clinic lists several factors that contribute to malnutrition in older adults. Normal age-related changes in taste, smell and appetite generally decline with age, making it more difficult to enjoy eating and keep regular eating habits. Disease-related inflammation and illnesses can contribute to declines in appetite and changes in how the body processes nutrients. Impairment in ability to eat, like difficulty chewing or swallowing, poor dental health, or limited ability in handling tableware can contribute to malnutrition. Behavioral or memory problems from Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia can result in forgetting to eat, not buying groceries or other irregular food habits.   Some medications can affect appetite or the ability to absorb nutrients. Dietary restrictions for managing medical conditions — such as limits on salt, fat or sugar — might also contribute to inadequate eating. Older adults may have trouble affording groceries, especially if they're taking expensive medications. The lack of socialization can also cause malnutrition.   Older adults who eat alone might not enjoy meals as before and lose interest in cooking and eating. Adults with limited mobility may not have access to food or the right types of food. Grief, loneliness, failing health, lack of mobility and other factors might contribute to depression — causing loss of appetite. Older adults that suffer from Alcoholism are also at a higher risk of malnutrition, in addition to numerous other health problems. Too much alcohol can interfere with the digestion and absorption of nutrients. Misuse of alcohol may also result in poor eating habits and poor decisions about nutrition.   There are several factors that can contribute to malnutrition, as you have just seen, but the list goes on and on. Knowing some of these factors to look out for can make malnutrition easier to spot in your loved one. And it is important to know that just because they are eating, does not mean they are eating well or eating enough. If your loved one seems to be eating regularly, but is losing weight or experiencing low energy levels, they may have a nutrient deficiency and need to be on a special diet, so it is important that you talk to their doctor about any changes in their behavior, and their diet, that you notice, especially if your loved one is unable to notice it on their own.   Now that we have discussed what malnutrition is, what it looks like in older adults, and the factors that contribute to malnutrition, we can move on to our final section, how to help your elderly loved one avoid poor nutrition.   Mayo Clinic says that as a caregiver or adult child of an older adult, you can take steps to monitor nutritional health, watch for weight loss and address risk factors of malnutrition. You can monitor your loved one's weight by checking their weight at home and keeping a weekly record of it. You can also do a visual check of how their clothes fit, as it can indicate weight loss, as well.   Observing their habits is another good way to keep track of their nutrition. You can spend mealtimes together at home — or during mealtime in a hospital or care facility — to observe eating habits and note what kinds of food are eaten and how much. Keeping a record of all medications, the reason for each medication, dosages, treatment schedules and possible side effects can also help your loved one avoid poor nutrition. As we age, many people need medication every day, and those medications can come with side effects that involve loss of appetite or other things that make eating more difficult. When consulting a doctor about poor nutrition, having all of this information on hand can help them determine if your loved one is malnourished faster, resulting in faster treatment that could potentially save their life.   Helping your loved one plan healthy meals or preparing meals ahead of time for them can help ensure that they have access to the nutrients they need. Helping them prepare a shopping list or shopping together can also help them make sure that they always have the items they need to make healthy choices at mealtimes.   There are many agencies and organizations that exist just to ensure that seniors have access to nutritional meals. Contact your local service agencies that provide at-home meal deliveries, in-home visits from nurses or dieticians, access to food pantries, or other nutrition services to see what help your loved one can be receiving. The local Area Agency on Aging or a county social worker can provide more information about services in your area.   If your loved one lives alone and is having trouble eating, they may benefit from social interactions during meals. You could try dropping by during mealtime or invite your loved one to your home for an occasional meal. Going out to eat at a restaurant can be a special treat for them, and they can use their senior discounts.   Lastly, daily exercise — even if it's light — can stimulate appetite and strengthen bones and muscles. Encourage your loved one to go on walks if they are able to. Not only can it help stimulate their appetite, but it can help improve their mood. If they are suffering from depression, even a slight mood improvement can increase their appetite, as well.   If your loved one needs help improving their nutrition, there are a few things you can do. Before starting anything new, always make sure you discuss the change with their doctor first. When planning meals for your loved, make sure you are including a variety of nutrient-rich foods. A good rule of thumb is to include the rainbow on their plate. Really, all that means is make sure you are including a variety of colored foods, as they all contain different nutrients.   Using different herbs and spiced to add flavor to meals can help your loved one improve their interest in eating. Experimenting with these things can help your loved one find a new favorite and cause them to be excited for their next meal.   If eating on their own is not enough, you can use supplemental nutrition drinks to help with calorie intake and you can add things like egg whites or whey powder to meals to increase proteins without adding saturated fats.   Observing your loved one during mealtimes is the best way for you to prevent and detect malnutrition in your loved one. Actually, being able to see what they eat and don't eat and being able to witness any problems they have with eating can help you determine if your loved one has any problems that their doctor should be aware of. If you notice they are coughing a lot when they are eating and having trouble swallowing, they may have a medical condition that is causing that that if their doctor was aware of, could be fixed.   Knowing your loved one's eating habits can also help when shopping or cooking. If your loved one is unable to go to the store or cook their own meals, know what they like and what they are able to eat can help ensure that they eat more, or less if that is the problem. Now, you don't want to make your loved one feel like they have no control over their eating time or like they have lost their independence. We are not suggesting that you stand over them at mealtime. When you take them out to dinner or come visit for lunch, just be aware while you are with them and take note of their habits. It may be useful in the future, and it may not, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.   If your loved one is having difficulty eating or you notice any changes in their diet or weight, even if you don't think they are malnourished, talk to their doctor. Malnutrition often goes undetected and undiagnosed until it is too late, so if you have any suspicions, it is always better to tell your doctor sooner rather than later. You may also find you need the help of a nutritionist when figure out what your loved one should be and needs to be eating. Your doctor or your local senior center can give you resources and referrals for nutritionists in your area. Your local senior center may even have a nutritionist on staff that you can meet with.   We want to say thank you for joining us here at All Home Care Matters, All Home Care Matters is here for you and to help families as they navigate these long-term care issues. Please visit us at allhomecarematters.com there is a private secure fillable form there where you can give us feedback, show ideas, or if you have questions. Every form is read and responded to. If you know someone who could benefit from this episode, please make sure to share it with them.   Remember, you can listen to the show on any of your favorite podcast streaming platforms and watch the show on our YouTube channel and make sure to hit that subscribe button, so you'll never miss an episode. We look forward to seeing you next time on All Home Care Matters, thank you.   Sources: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/caregivers/in-depth/senior-health/art-20044699   https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/malnutrition   https://www.agingresearch.org/campaign/malnutrition/   https://www.nutritioncare.org/Guidelines_and_Clinical_Resources/Spotting_Malnutrition_in_Seniors/      

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POLICY SEMINAR Tackling child undernutrition at scale: Insights from national and subnational success cases Co-Organized by IFPRI and Exemplars in Global Health APR 1, 2021 - 09:30 AM TO 11:00 AM EDT Childhood undernutrition remains a major global challenge, with profound consequences for the health, well-being, and long-term development of millions of people. Strategies to tackle malnutrition have often focused on small-scale programs and specific interventions. To improve nutrition outcomes at scale, nutrition policymakers and leaders need evidence on what works. Drawing on the experience of policymakers, nutrition leaders, and program managers, two global research programs are now providing practical insights on large-scale solutions to child undernutrition in different countries. In this event, we bring together IFPRI’s Stories of Change and Exemplars in Global Health, which have both been studying successes in reducing childhood stunting. Lessons from these deep research programs, featured in the newly released Lancet 2021 Series on Maternal and Child Undernutrition, offer hope that big change is possible and provide specific direction for countries striving to accelerate progress on nutrition. Opening Remarks: Johan Swinnen, Director General, IFPRI Speakers: Niranjan Bose, Managing Director, Health & Life Sciences, Gates Ventures Zulfiqar Bhutta, Co-director of the Center for Global Child Health and Founding Director of the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health at the Aga Khan University Stuart Gillespie, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI Rasmi Avula, Research Fellow, IFPRI Drishti Sharma, Manager, Access and Health Policy Research, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) Moderator: Purnima Menon, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI Links: Maternal And Child Undernutrition Progress (Lancet Series): https://www.thelancet.com/series/maternal-child-undernutrition-progress Exemplars In Global Health: https://www.exemplars.health/topics/stunting/cross-country-synthesis Stories Of Change In Nutrition: https://www.exemplars.health/topics/stunting/cross-country-synthesis More on the seminar: https://www.ifpri.org/event/tackling-child-undernutrition-scale-insights-national-and-subnational-success-cases Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

What is malnutrition? Thanks for asking!World Food Day is celebrated every year on October 16th, commemorating the date on which the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization was created in 1945. Let’s take the opportunity to talk about malnutrition. It’s the consequence of a diet which doesn’t provide a healthy amount of certain nutrients. According to the World Health Organisation, this is due to excesses, deficiencies or imbalance in a person’s energy intake. So as you may have guessed, malnutrition covers both undereating and overeating. Undernutrition leads to excessive weight loss and stunted growth. Meanwhile, eating too much can lead to people becoming overweight, obese and developing non-communicable diseases, like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and certain cancers. Malnutrition can be a direct cause of death, and it also weakens the immune system, making people more vulnerable to other illnesses. That’s why it needs to be treated quickly and efficiently. When you combine the various forms of malnutrition, it is the number one cause of poor health and death in humans.How many people are affected?A Global Nutrition report from this year found that one in nine people suffer from hunger and one in three are overweight or obese. Malnutrition is already a problem in every country in the world and the UN estimates it will affect a further 2 billion people by 2050. It leads to more than 9 million deaths per year. Women and young children are the worst affected. Women are victims of inequality in certain countries, and don’t always have access to the food or resources they need to have a healthy diet. Children have more fragile immune systems and are therefore more vulnerable.So social inequality and poverty are among the causes of malnutrition. What are the others then? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is LSD microdosing? What is a flight to nowhere? What is consent? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Nutrient deficiencies present clinically in the skin, hair, and nails. Dr. Vincent DeLeo talks to Dr. Bridget Shields about the dermatologist’s role in managing nutritional dermatoses in hospitalized patients. “As dermatologists, we’re trained to recognize subtle detail, and we may be the first or really the only physicians to pick up on the seemingly minor cutaneous manifestations of underlying nutritional disease,” Dr. Shields explains. She highlights key nutrient deficiencies and risk factors that dermatologists may routinely encounter. *  *  * This week in Dermatology News: Lifestyle changes may explain skin lesions in pandemic era patients Study highlights benefits of integrating dermatology into oncology centers Republican or Democrat, Americans vote for face masks *  *  * Key takeaways from this episode: Undernutrition in hospitalized patients is relatively common but often goes unrecognized because it may develop slowly over months to years. “Early identification and treatment of nutritional deficiencies can drastically improve patient morbidity and mortality and decrease systemwide health care costs,” Dr. Shields explains. It can be easier for dermatologists to diagnose and screen for nutrient deficiencies if they are able to identify at-risk patients. “Some really common medical conditions serve as risk factors that I think we routinely overlook as providers,” Dr. Shields notes. Dietary habits can predispose patients to nutrient deficiencies and therefore should be included as part of the patient’s history. The oral mucosa can provide important insight into a patient’s underlying metabolic and overall systemic health. Hospitalized patients often take in less calorically than they do at baseline. “I think working with a nutritionist can be really important to ensure a patient has appropriate macro- and micronutrient composition of any supplementation provided,” notes Dr. Shields. In most cases, treating the underlying nutrient deficiency will simultaneously treat the associated cutaneous manifestations. Skin-directed topical therapies can be useful in the right context but should not be used alone without the associated nutrient supplementation. More research is needed on how nutritional manipulation may impact the skin and serve as an adjunct to therapy with more traditional medication regimens.   Hosts: Nick Andrews; Vincent A. DeLeo, MD (Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles) Guest: Bridget E. Shields, MD (University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia) Disclosures: Dr. DeLeo is a consultant for Esteé Lauder. Dr. Shields reports no conflict of interest. Show notes by: Alicia Sonners, Melissa Sears *  *  * You can find more of our podcasts at http://www.mdedge.com/podcasts      Email the show: podcasts@mdedge.com Interact with us on Twitter: @MDedgeDerm  

For decades, developing countries have faced the threats of undernutrition, stunting and starvation. While those problems haven't gone away, incredible progress has been made. Now, a new threat looms: Obesity and excess weight. In the latest episode of The Development Podcast, we hear from researchers at the forefront of new analysis into this “double-burden” of undernutrition and obesity. First up, we get the view from Mexico City, where pediatrician Dr. Salvador Villalpando talks through the economic and cultural factors that are driving alarming obesity trends among his patients – especially young children. From there, we get the global picture with the World Bank's Nutrition Lead, Dr. Meera Shekar, and the University of North Carolina's Distinguished Professor of Nutrition, Dr. Barry Popkin. They globe-spanning research paints an alarming picture – but we'll go beyond the headline figures and look at some of the solutions that are being tried around the world. What's working? What's not? It all comes to you from the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, DC. Listen, rate, review, and subscribe!

Thanks to modern medicine most of the human population is no longer threatened by infectious disease. Instead, however, we are faced with problems in health and wellness largely in the form of chronic illness and autoimmune disorders. Carly explores why the foods we are eating are fueling the prevalence of lifestyle diseases and what you can do to improve your eating habits.

Dr. Kristen Hurley, MPH, PhD, Senior Vice President of Nutrition at Vitamin Angels; and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, discusses Vitamin Angels' new partnership with the Gates Foundation to connect more pregnant women around the world with prenatal vitamins. Though most countries offer some level of nutritional aid to pregnant women in need, millions of women worldwide do not have access to prenatal multivitamins. Dr. Hurley is working to close that gap

Existe fome no Brasil? O país corre risco de voltar ao mapa da fome? O que é 'direito humano à alimentação adequada"? Quais são as políticas públicas existentes no Brasil para o combate à fome e incentivo à alimentação adequada? Para responder a essas perguntas e suscitar muitas outras, conversamos com a Profª. Drª Elisabetta Recine do Departamento de Nutrição da Universidade de Brasília. Apresentação: Heitor Loureiro Entrevista: Elisabetta Recine Edição: Kaio Anderson Arte da vitrine: JP Martins Feed: http://onomedissoemundo.com/feed/podcast/ Streaming: Spotify — Booking — Reserve seu hotel pelo Booking.com. — Links — Apoia.se do ONDEM Grupo do ONDEM no Facebook Telegram do ONDEM Impacto ambiental vai além dos agrotóxicos, diz nutricionista Sem merenda: quando férias escolares significam fome no Brasil The Global Syndemic of Obesity, Undernutrition, and Climate Change SOFI 2019 (Mapa da fome) Da democratização ao golpe: avanços e retrocessos na garantia do DHANA no Brasil Você pode entrar em contato com a gente pelo Facebook e Twitter. Para não perder nenhum episódio, assine o podcast no iTunes, no seu agregador de podcast preferido ou no Spotify. Para apoiar o ONDEM, acesse apoia.se/ondem e contribua com nosso projeto.

A new study investigates the multiple social, biological, and programmatic factors that associate adolescent pregnancy with early child undernutrition in India.

A new study investigates the multiple social, biological, and programmatic factors that associate adolescent pregnancy with early child undernutrition in India.

Today on the The Leadership Lounge with Marlowe Foster, hear Part 2 of our interview with Will Moore.  Will is Executive Director of the Eleanor Crook Foundation which focuses on global malnutrition, undernutrition and hunger. @LeadLoungeMF    

It would seem at first glance that undernutrition and obesity are opposite sides of the same coin and not very related to one another and that neither of these issues would be related at all to climate change. Well, this turns out to not be true at all according to an authoritative new report for our listeners. The title of the report is The Global Syndemic of Obesity Undernutrition and Climate Change, The Lancet Commission Report. One of the architects of that report is Dr. William Dietz. About William Dietz William Dietz is the director of the Sumner Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. Before joining the faculty of George Washington, he directed the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dietz is a member of the National Academy of Medicine. Interview Summary You co-chaired the Lancet Commission that produced the report just mentioned, with Boyd Swinburn in New Zealand, and worked with leading experts from all around the world. The title of the report has the word syndemic in it. Can you describe what a syndemic is? We thought a syndemic was a relatively new concept that was published in the Lancet in 2017. But when we went back, this concept really originated with a woman named Singer, who was in Connecticut, and in 1992 used it to describe the interaction of poverty and health. And then it went into this quiescent phase until it reemerged in these Lancet articles. And a syndemic is a combination of the word syndemic and epidemic and reflects the co-occurrence in time and place of two or more factors which have social determinants, such as economic factors or social factors or environmental factors. And we applied this to the pandemics of obesity, undernutrition, and climate change. And we named climate change a pandemic because of its breadth of impact and how widespread it was. And like the other syndemics which were limited mainly to diseases so that, for example, the interaction of HIV, intravenous drug use, hepatitis C and hepatocellular cancer--these epidemics, these pandemics also interact. So for example, in particularly in middle-income countries, there is a co-occurrence of obesity and undernutrition in the form of stunting. Meat production causes obesity, colorectal cancer, and cardiovascular disease, and also generates a lot of greenhouse gases. In fact, agriculture generates almost 30 percent of greenhouse gases and cattle production generates about over half of that. Another example of the interaction is between car use, inactivity and obesity. So car use displaces physical activity, therefore increases the likelihood of obesity, generates greenhouse gases, which then in turn promote undernutrition by virtue of the catastrophic effects of excess greenhouse gases on low and middle income countries in terms of drought or even in terms of changing the nutrient composition of foods as global warming projects and moves forward. So we see these three pandemics as huge challenges and ones which are the paramount challenges for the 21st century. The Lancet report discusses using a systems approach to understanding and addressing these problems. What is a systems approach and, what systems in particular or do you think will be influential in changing the intersection of these things? Well, as so I indicated from these examples of interactions, they're really systems that underpin undernutrition, obesity and climate change. And the most prominent systems are the agricultural system, the urban design, and land use and transport systems. But even more profound than those systems are the underlying drivers of those systems. So the question becomes why did these systems operate the way they do? Well, they operate the way they do because we've designed them that way. The reason that we are car use dependent is not only because cars are heavily promoted by business and particularly on television, but car use is sustained by community design, which is not designed for public transport. It's designed for car use. And promoted by the lack of taxes on gasoline or the low taxes which haven't been increased in years. So we're not paying the real costs of transport, and we're not paying the real costs of beef production, for example. The same thing applies to meat production. So, subsidies for forage crops support beef production and keep the prices artificially low. And we don't pay, then, for the greenhouse gas emissions by cattle. We don't pay for the environmental degradation caused by concentrated animal feedlots. If we were to pay the actual costs of transport or the true costs of food production, I think we would see substantial shifts in the consumption of our use, for example, our meat consumption. And this systems approach allows us to begin to point out what we've called double and triple duty actions. That is strategies which affect two or more of these pandemics. So increasing the gas price is one of those triple duty actions. Reducing meat consumption is one of those triple duty actions, which affects not only obesity but also climate change and undernutrition. You're making a pretty radical that people pay the actual cost of these things. So for example, if you go to the store and buy a hamburger or a steak, the prices could go way up, couldn't it? If you're paying for the health consequences that these products produce in society and the environmental consequences, do you have any reason to believe that the public would accept such a thing? Or the politicians would even propose it? Well, that's a good question. But we talk in the report about policy inertia, which is a term we coined to reflect the lack of movement on any of these issues, despite widespread recommendations that changes occur. And policy Inertia, as you correctly point out, is a consequence of lack of political will, lack of public demand, and industry opposition. So there's good evidence of industry opposition. The most recent of which was to the dietary guidelines committee report and that most recently appeared and while the dietary guidelines expert committee recommended movement towards a plant-based diet, this was met with substantial opposition by the meat industry and the national cattleman's association. I think there's a national meat institute and one other organization which indicates the kind of resistance to these types of changes. Even though these changes would improve both public health and the environment. So the bottom line here is I don't think we can expect the government to act unless we begin to change things at the local level. I really have come to believe that if this is going to happen, it's going to happen because people change their behaviors and begin to push governments to change their policies. And I think we can point to things that are already happening. Moving in that direction. Meatless Monday is one of those examples. We know that the growth of products which are produced sustainably is increasing at about five percent a year. That's huge. We know that businesses that are selling healthier for you, or better for you products, are seeing more rapid increases in the sales of those products than in their traditional product lines. We also know that those cities, despite the US withdrawal from the Paris accords regarding climate change, that some US cities have persisted in trying to reduce their carbon footprint. And these trends are underway, whether they're going to be powerful enough or operate quickly enough to reverse the global syndemic remains to be seen. But I'm worried because we don't have very much time left. And these behaviors that are starting locally need to be amplified, and we need to be able to change the governance systems which underpin the systems that we have. You mentioned that the US was out of step with the rest of the world on things like climate accord. And they're just a lot of examples of this kind of thing. In the US, business interests are prevailing over public health interests more than in other countries. One has to wonder whether there's any hope of reversing that. And you mentioned some local actions might eventually percolate up and affect the national government. Are there precedents for this that you've seen in other areas that might make you optimistic? Well, I'm optimistic about the ability of people to change and governments to change. So take soda taxes. There are about seven or eight cities now or municipalities which have implemented soda taxes. And internationally, there's actually more progress around soda taxes than there is in the United States. There are almost 30 countries which have implemented soda taxes. Mexico is a really good example. And what happened in Mexico was that civil society, the consumer groups, really went to bat for the soda tax despite very substantial opposition, which is why in our report, one of our recommendations is a call for investment of a $1,000,000,000 fund that can be used to support civil society actions in about 100 different countries. The other thing that we call for, which I think is implicit on what I mentioned just a few minutes ago, is that a summit of businesses who are operating based on principles for the 21st Century. And those principles are matching profit with the health of the community and health of the planet. And the corporations that have begun to do that I think are much more likely to succeed. And a summit which calls together businesses designed for the 21st Century, I think would be very instructive and could perhaps create models that would spread. Do you see the world of philanthropy and foundations as helping move these things forward? Absolutely. For example, the Bloomberg Foundation was instrumental in working in Mexico and is now invested in some other Latin American countries. And, I think that innovation often starts, at least in the US with foundation support. Interestingly enough, we were not able to get foundation support for our initial work on the syndemic. One group, which was working on undernutrition, recognized the association of undernutrition with obesity but said we're very interested in undernutrition, not obesity. One of the groups working on climate change recognized the effects of climate change on undernutrition but said we're interested in climate change but not undernutrition. So hopefully the recognition that this global syndemic exists will also prompt foundation investments to do the necessary work around communication, convening, all of the kinds of things that our recommendations called for, including a framework convention on food systems analogous to the framework on tobacco control. For our listeners, the title of the report that we've been speaking about is The global Syndemic of Obesity, Undernutrition and Climate Change, the Lancet Commission Report. How can people get access to that report? The report is available online. If you go to the Lancet and just search for global syndemic, this will come up. Produced by Deborah Hill at the Duke World Food Policy Center

Today we're going to delve into the much anticipated report from the Lancet Commission on the Global Syndemic of Obesity with Bill Dietz, MD, PhD, Commission Co-Chair. The Commission used a syndemics approach to examine the health consequences of identifiable disease interactions and the social, environmental, or economic factors that promote such interaction and worsen disease. A nationally renowned expert in obesity, nutrition and physical activity, Dr. Dietz is also the Director and Chair of the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness a the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. Dr. Dietz is also a member of the National Academy of Medicine and Director of the STOP Obesity Alliance here at GW. Prior to GW, he was the Director of the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ◘ Transcript https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/transcript-global-syndemic-obesity-undernutrition-gw-office-of/?published=t ◘ Related Content The Global Syndemic of Obesity, Undernutrition, and Climate Change: The Lancet Commission Report http://bit.ly/2B7j34Y William Dietz: shaping science and policy on obesity http://bit.ly/2UlDhPr STOP Obesity Alliance at the George Washington University http://stopobesityalliance.org/ ◘ This podcast features the song “Follow Your Dreams” (freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Ho…ur_Dreams_1918) by Scott Holmes, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial (01https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) license. ◘ Disclaimer: The content and information shared in GW Integrative Medicine is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in GW Integrative Medicine represent the opinions of the host(s) and their guest(s). For medical advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment, please consult a medical professional.

Discussion with Obesity commission co-authors Bill Dietz (George Washington University, USA) and Boyd Swinburn (University of Auckland, New Zealand), plus three personal testimonies about the impact of obesity relating to stigma, indigenous culture, and health.

Professor Corinna Hawkes, Director of the Centre for Food Policy, City University London The keynote lecture in the Food Governance Conference hosted by Sydney Law School and the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney ABSTRACT Everybody eats. Food is a lived experience. It inspires us, fills us with dread, brings us joy, and stress. It sustains us, and kills us. At the same time, food is distant, hails from the food system, out there, somewhere, causing “abstract” problems. Drought. Climate change. Obesity. Undernutrition. Foodborne disease. Exploited workers. To open the first Food Governance conference at the University of Sydney, Professor Hawkes will contend that making connections between these ‘big’ food systems outcomes and the ‘small’ intimate ways that we all experience food is key to the solutions. She will present a new vision of a people-centred approach in which problems are addressed by starting with the reality of people’s everyday lives and then working back into the food system. Professor Hawkes suggests that the three fundamental challenges for the food system are Language, Leadership and Alignment and show that changes to the way we talk, lead and govern will be needed to fix the global food system.

Professor Stanley Ulijaszek (University of Oxford) presents a lecture on undernutrition and infection (14 November 2014)

In this podcast, JPEN Editor-in-Chief, Kelly Tappenden, PhD, RD, interviews Jane V. White, PhD, RD, FADA, lead author of the Consensus Statement: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition: Characteristics Recommended for the Identification and Documentation of Adult Malnutrition (Undernutrition), simultaneously published in the May 2012 issues of JPEN and the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Click here to read the full article.

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U.S. Leadership in Fighting Hunger, Poverty, and Undernutrition, Jonathan Shrier Jonathan Shrier '85, Acting Special Rep, Global Food Security, U.S. State Dept, discusses diplomatic efforts and Feed the Future Initiative to advance food and nutrition security. Speaker Bio: On June 6, 2011, Jonathan Shrier became the Acting Special Representative for Global Food Security and as such, is responsible for coordinating all aspects of U.S. diplomacy related to food security and nutrition, and serves concurrently as Deputy Coordinator for Diplomacy for Feed the Future, the U.S. global hunger and food security initiative. He focuses on major donors, strategic partners, multilateral fora such as the G8 and G20, and policy reforms in partner countries. Mr. Shrier came to the State Department's Office of Global Food Security from the Secretary of State's Policy Planning Staff. He has served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy, where he helped design and establish the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas launched by President Obama. While at the National Security Council and National Economic Council, Mr. Shrier coordinated interagency policy at the intersection of energy, climate, and agriculture, including responses to the spike in commodity prices in 2007-2008. A career Foreign Service Officer, Mr. Shrier handled international trade and investment issues for then Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs Josette Sheeran, just prior to her appointment as head of the World Food Program. During his service at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, Mr. Shrier worked with USAID to establish a development assistance program for Tibetan communities in China, with a focus on agriculture-led development. Mr. Shrier has earned degrees from the National Defense University (M.S. in National Security Resource Strategy), University of London (M.B.A. in International Management), London School of Economics (MSc in International Relations), and Dartmouth (A.B. in Government). His languages include Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, French, and Spanish. Co-sponsored by the John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding

Tessa Richards (BMJ's analysis editor) and Duncan Jarvies (BMJ's multimedia producer) talk to Veena Rao (adviser at Karnataka Nutrition Mission, India) about the issue of undernutrion in the country. And David Payne (BMJ's web editor) gives us a run-down of the new bmj.com.

Quantile regression allows to model the complete conditional distribution of a response variable - expressed by its quantiles - depending on covariates, and thereby extends classical regression models which mainly address the conditional mean of a response variable. The present thesis introduces the generic model class of structured additive quantile regression. This model class combines quantile regression with a structured additive predictor and thereby enables a variety of covariate effects to be flexibly modelled. Among other components, the structured additive predictor comprises smooth non-linear effects of continuous covariates and individual-specific effects which are particularly important in longitudinal data settings. Furthermore, this thesis gives an extensive overview of existing approaches for parameter estimation in structured additive quantile regression models. These approaches are structured into distribution-free and distribution-based approaches as well as related model classes. Each approach is systematically discussed with regard to the four previously defined criteria, (i) which different components of the generic predictor can be estimated, (ii) which properties can be attributed to the estimators, (iii) if variable selection is possible, and, finally, (iv) if software is available for practical applications. The main methodological development of this thesis is a boosting algorithm which is presented as an alternative estimation approach for structured additive quantile regression. The discussion of this innovative approach with respect to the four criteria points out that quantile boosting involves great advantages regarding almost all criteria - in particular regarding variable selection. In addition, the results of several simulation studies provide a practical comparison of boosting with alternative estimation approaches. From the beginning of this thesis, the development of structured additive quantile regression is motivated by two relevant applications from the field of epidemiology: the investigation of risk factors for child undernutrition in India (by a cross-sectional study) and for child overweight and obesity in Germany (by a birth cohort study). In both applications, extreme quantiles of the response variables are modelled by structured additive quantile regression and estimated by quantile boosting. The results are described and discussed in detail.

With more than 1 billion people estimated to not have enough to eat, food security is a pervasive problem. An estimated one-third of the global burden of disease afflicting children under the age of 5 is caused by undernutrition. Climate change is anticipated to reduce cereal yields, further threatening food security and potentially increasing child undernutrition. In this podcast, host Ashley Ahearn discusses the connection between climate change and undernutrition with researcher Sari Kovats. Visit the podcast webpage to download a full transcript of this podcast.

Undernutrition is a widespread problem that needs to be addressed with sustainable solutions. Daily diets require small amounts of the micronutrients iodine and iron to boost mental and physical development. Recognizing salt as a staple in diets, Venkatesh Mannar, overcame the technical and chemical challenges and pioneered a viable solution: double fortified salt (DFS). Protecting people from iodine deficiency disorders and anaemia, the use of DFS has been implemented as a public health prevention strategy worldwide. In this audio interview, Stanford Center for Social Innovation correspondent Sheela Sethuraman talks with Mannar, 2010 Tech Award winner in Health, as he discusses the large-scale social impact double fortified salt has brought to improving health and nutrition.   https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/venkatesh_mannar_innovations_in_global_health

Rhona MacDonald discusses the world food crisis and its impact on global health.

Includes highlights from the London launch of The Lancet maternal and child undernutrition series, with new figures showing how a third of child deaths and 11% of the global disease burden arises from por nutrition in childhood.

We investigate the geographical and socioeconomic determinants of childhood undernutrition in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia, three neighboring countries in Southern Africa using the 1992 Demographic and Health Surveys. We estimate models of undernutrition jointly for the three countries to explore regional patterns of undernutrition that transcend boundaries, while allowing for country-specific interactions. We use semiparametric models to flexibly model the effects of selected so-cioeconomic covariates and spatial effects. Our spatial analysis is based on a flexible geo-additive model using the district as the geographic unit of anal-ysis, which allows to separate smooth structured spatial effects from random effect. Inference is fully Bayesian and uses recent Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques. While the socioeconomic determinants generally confirm what is known in the literature, we find distinct residual spatial patterns that are not explained by the socioeconomic determinants. In particular, there appears to be a belt run-ning from Southern Tanzania to Northeastern Zambia which exhibits much worse undernutrition, even after controlling for socioeconomic effects. These effects do transcend borders between the countries, but to a varying degree. These findings have important implications for targeting policy as well as the search for left-out variables that might account for these residual spatial patterns.

We estimate semiparametric regression models of chronic undernutrition (stunting) using the 1992 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) from Tanzania and Zambia. We focus particularly on the influence of the child's age, the mother's body mass index, and spatial influences on chronic undernutrition. Conventional parametric regression models are not flexible enough to cope with possibly nonlinear effects of the continuous covariates and cannot flexibly model spatial influences. We present a Bayesian semiparametric analysis of the effects of these two covariates on chronic undernutrition. Moreover, we investigate spatial determinants of undernutrition in these two countries. Compared to previous work with a simple fixed effects approach for the influence of provinces, we model small scale district specific effects using flexible spatial priors. Inference is fully Bayesian and uses recent Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques.

Assessments of undernutrition are typically based on comparisons between anthropometric indicators of children and a reference standard from the US. Due to a number of problems associated with this reference standard, WHO is currently engaged in generating a new international reference standard for child growth based on well­to­do populations in a sample of poor and rich countries. The focus on socioeconomic elites is to ensure that the measured growth reflects their genetic potential (and not according their constrained environment). Based on an analysis of the Demographic and Health Surveys from Kenya, India, and Zambia, we identify a number of problems associated with using socioeconomic elites as representative of the genetic potential of a population. First, there are several, non­overlapping ways to identify elites. Second, the anthropometric status of elites appears to depend to a considerable degree on the nutrition and health status of non­elites. Third, there is a danger that the elites are not a random sample of the growth potential of the population. And lastly, it appears that the nutritional status of elites differs substantially between the three countries so that it is unclear how one can combine them to generate one international reference standard.