Conventional indicators of the burden of young child malnutrition: time for a rethink?

  • Ali Muhammad Dhansay South African Medical Research Council

Abstract

“What you cannot measure, you cannot improve upon.” Lord Kelvin

The world has moved on from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) era to the next phase in global development, namely, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs have multiple targets and indicators, among which Target 2.2 relates to measurement of stunting, wasting and overweight in children under five. The MDGs had stunting and underweight as indicators to be measured to assess progress in addressing child malnutrition. In 2012, the World Health Assembly Resolution 65.6 endorsed a Comprehensive implementation plan on maternal, infant and young child nutrition, which specified a set of six global nutrition targets that by 2025 aim to, among others, achieve a 40% reduction in the number of children who are stunted, reduce and maintain childhood wasting to < 5%, and ensure there is no increase in childhood overweight.1

Author Biography

Ali Muhammad Dhansay, South African Medical Research Council
Burden of Disease Research Unit SA Medical Research Council; and Division of Human Nutrition Department of Paediatrics and Child Health Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Stellenbosch University
Published
2018-06-08
How to Cite
Dhansay, A. (2018). Conventional indicators of the burden of young child malnutrition: time for a rethink?. South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 31(2), 4-5. Retrieved from http://sajcn.co.za/index.php/SAJCN/article/view/1334
Issue
Vol 31 No 2 (2018)
Section
Guest Editorial
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