Nutrition and Covid-19: WHO

• Nutrition advice for adults during the COVID-19 outbreak
• Feeding babies and young children during the COVID-19 outbreak
• Breastfeeding advice during the COVID-19 outbreak

Read here (WHO East Mediterranean as at Sept 2020)

Addressing Malaysia’s nutrition crisis post Covid-19: Time for nutrition-focused social protection

• With stunting and wasting at 21.8 and 9.7% respectively in 2019, Malaysia was experiencing a malnutrition crisis even prior to COVID-19.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has directly resulted in a severe economic crisis that will exacerbate food and nutrition insecurity.
• People who are already exposed to critical food and dietary deprivations before COVID-19 are most vulnerable to food insecurity.
• Food and nutrition insecurity are linked to malnutrition, where children in households with food insecurity were more likely to be malnourished.
• Beyond the consequences for individuals and families, food and nutrition insecurity has been linked to long-term economic effects such as higher health care expenditures, lower educational achievement, lost productivity, lower earnings in adulthood and increased risk of poverty later in life.
• Strengthening child-sensitive and nutrition-focused social protection is essential to reducing vulnerability, building resilience, and mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 crisis and should be a top policy priority

Download PDF here (Unicef, Nov 2020)

Child malnutrition and Covid-19: The time to act is now

‘The Lancet recently published a call to action co-authored by the directors of UNICEF, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Programme, and the WHO. The statement addresses the growing threat of childhood malnutrition due to downstream effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated response policies and operations, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The statement listed 5 “urgent actions” to support children's right to adequate nutrition during the pandemic. Specifically, the authors call on national governments and private donors to support efforts to ensure access to nutritious, safe, and affordable diets; maternal and child health; early detection and treatment for child wasting; nutritious school meals for vulnerable children; and safe access to food and essential services. These priorities must be integrated more completely into the COVID-19 response.’ -- Center for Health Security, John Hopkins University

Read here (The Lancet, July 27, 2020)

Rethink food security and nutrition following Covid-19 pandemic

‘The Covid-19 crisis has had several unexpected effects, including renewed attention to food security concerns. Earlier understandings of food security in terms of production self-sufficiency have given way to importing supplies since late 20th century promotion of trade liberalization.

‘Food systems need to be repurposed to better produce and supply safe and nutritious food. Ensuring that food systems improve nutrition is not just a matter of increasing production. The entire ‘nutrition value chain’ — from farm to fork, from production to consumption — needs to be considered to ensure the food system better feeds the population.

‘Food systems have to improve production practices, post-harvest processing and consumption behaviour. Resource use and abuse as well as environmental damage due to food production and consumption need to be addressed to ensure sustainable food systems.’

Read here (IPS News, July 2, 2020)