UN drafts plan to improve maternal and child health through better nutrition

(May 24, 2011) :The United Nations World Health Organization, WHO, has drafted a plan to
improve maternal and child health through better nutrition. It has called on Member States and development partners, to implement priority nutrition interventions and policies on health care, education and agriculture to improve the health of mothers and their children. The measures, which will be included in a WHO report to be entitled “Maternal, infant and young child nutrition: implementation plan,” were discussed on Monday at WHO’s ongoing 64th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. The draft plan outlines priorities to confront child under-nutrition, low birth weight, growing rates of child overweight, both maternal under-nutrition and overweight, and the consequences of vitamin and mineral deficiencies for mothers and children.
According to WHO figures, more than 100 million children under the age of five were underweight in 2010, and at least 170 million were stunted. WHO said micronutrient deficiencies, including anaemia and vitamin A, are of increasing concern worldwide. It also said that some 43 million children were estimated to be overweight and obese in 2010. More mothers are becoming overweight, increasing the risk of birth complications, added WHO.