‘Severe malnutrition’

Thinking deeply, communicating simply

Bibliographic Data

ID21879875
AuthorsMarko Kerac (0000-0002-3745-7317, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, corresponding author), Marie Mcgrath (0000-0002-0660-1873, Emergency Nutrition Network, Oxford, UK), Nichola Connell (Eleanor Crook Foundation, San Marcos, Texas, USA), Chytanya Kompala (Eleanor Crook Foundation, San Marcos, Texas, USA), William H Moore (0000-0002-1138-739X, Eleanor Crook Foundation, San Marcos, Texas, USA), Jeanette Bailey (0000-0002-4343-4939, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine), Robert H J Bandsma (0000-0001-6358-4750, Hospital for Sick Children), Robert Bandsma (Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada), James A Berkley (0000-0002-1236-849X, Kenya Medical Research Institute), André Briend (0000-0001-9390-8541, University of Copenhagen), Steve Collins (0000-0003-3364-2344, Valid International (United Kingdom)), Tsinuel Girma (0000-0002-3538-0061, Jimma University), J Wells (0000-0003-0411-8025, Great Ormond Street Hospital), Jonathan C Wells (Population, Policy & Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom)
Year2020
Volume5
Issue11
Pagese003023
Publication date2020-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBMJ Global Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2059-7908 • E-ISSN: 2059-7908
PublisherBMJ (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003023
PMID33208313
OpenAlexW3106018384
LanguageEN
Citations received19
References cited14

box Malnutrition affects millions worldwide and underlies almost half of deaths in children aged <5 years.1 Progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 2 (End hunger) was already slow but coronavirus-related secondary impacts now threaten nutritional crises described as: Biblical, on steroids, across generations .2 Towards effective actions, effective communication matters. Malnutrition involves a plethora of complex technical terminology. Sometimes it helps to go beyond details and consider problems at broader scale, especially when engaging with non-specialist stakeholders like policymakers, funders and the public. These may not wish to know full technical nuances, but they should: Focusing on undernutrition, we argue that a simple umbrella term, ‘Severe Malnutrition’ would benefit future communication and advocacy efforts. Defining a problem is vital for effective action/evaluation. Assessing both individual and population nutritional status typically involves anthropometry.3 Measurements (eg, weight) are interpreted through indices (eg, weight-for-age) in comparison with reference populations (eg, WHO Growth Standards, a ‘gold standard’ describing how healthy children should grow). Current terminology is summarised below.1 Often neglected is the full definition of malnutrition: ‘Any condition in which deficiency, excess or imbalance of energy, protein or other nutrients...adversely affects body function and/or clinical outcome’.4 Problems consequently arise. ### Undue focus on body size Being severely small (short or thin) alone

Anthropometry · Development economics · Economic growth · Economics · Environmental health · Malnutrition · Political science · Population · Public health · Public relations · Terminology · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Medicine · Nursing · Nutrition and Health in Aging · Psychology · Gerontology

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