Mid-term review of the Strategic Action Plan to reduce the double burden of malnutrition in the WHO South-East Asia Region 2016–2025

Overview

The WHO South-East Asia Region (SE Asia Region) is the most populous Region in the world with high levels of poverty, disease burden and malnutrition. The combination of rapid nutritional, epidemiological and demographical transition has impacted the nutrition profile across the Member States of the Region. While undernutrition rates, including micronutrient malnutrition, are declining slowly, a significant rise in overweight and obesity – the double burden – is seen across many age groups. There is also an associated rapid upsurge in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

The extent of the double burden varies across Member States necessitating urgent and sustained efforts to address, combat and overcome the issues of undernutrition, overweight and obesity and associated NCDs. The identification, promotion and implementation of double-duty actions that simultaneously and synergistically address undernutrition as well as overweight, obesity and diet-related NCDs across key policy action areas are envisaged as inevitably important opportunities and immediate priorities.