Malnutrition is a global crisis. Poor nutrition has far-reaching implications. On an individual level, it causes people to be more susceptible to illnesses due to weakened immunities. From a wider perspective, malnutrition strains healthcare systems, and causes losses in human capital and workplace productivity. During his sharing, Martin Short, CEO of The Power of Nutrition emphasised that malnutrition costs an estimated US$3.5 trillion annually worldwide[1].

Investing in high-quality nutrition, therefore, not only promotes global health and well-being, but also guarantees significant economic returns.

Women have been historically disadvantaged in many societies. They have been constantly reported to face significantly higher risks than men of malnutrition and mortality[2]. A global viral pandemic further exacerbates the health inequality gap that currently discriminates against women and girls due to their pre-existing vulnerabilities.

Yannick Foing, the Global Director for Nutrition Improvement at DSM Nutritional Products strongly campaigned for flour and rice fortification as the solution to malnutrition.

In times of budget constraints, households—especially those from the less developed world—tend to turn towards cheaper yet substantial staple foods. This phenomenon has been exacerbated in recent months by the global economic slowdown. Though such foods may contain sufficient calories, they lack the crucial vitamins and minerals that are necessary for a good immunity that has been proven so crucial at this point in time.

It is clear that no one government can tackle malnutrition alone. The private sector, individually, will struggle to galvanise efforts in silos too. Governments may impose protectionist restrictions preventing foreign corporations from intervening in their local food systems. During the panel discussion’s ‘Question and Answer’ segment, Martin gave his input on how “a lot of people in development are in denial of private sector engagement”. He warned that distrustful sentiments may impede foreign investors from breaking into local markets.

Read the full article about gender equality in nutrition by Tammy Yin at AVPN.