Publication: Prospects for Improving Nutrition in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Loading...
Published
2002
ISSN
Date
2013-06-19
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
Under-nutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies are critical issues for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Failure to target programs to address the impact of malnutrition, has led to high rates of under-nutrition, and iron and iodine deficiencies. This report highlights the life-threatening nutrition problems confronting people in the region, and suggests strategies for change: a) improving infant feeding, particularly in Central Asia, to reduce unacceptably high rates of under-nutrition in young children; b) increasing consumption of iodized salt, to reduce compromised intelligence levels; and, c) developing programs to reduce iron deficiency anemia in women, and young children. Policymakers, and healthcare providers must develop, and deliver consistent, persuasive messages. This book aims to help raise awareness of nutrition problems in the region, and, suggests solutions for reducing malnutrition.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Rokx, Claudia; Galloway, Rae; Brown, Lynn. 2002. Prospects for Improving Nutrition in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Health, Nutrition, and Population series;. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/14009 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication How to Protect and Promote the Nutrition of Mothers and Children in Latin America and the Caribbean(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-12-10)The study covered a wide range of topics, making data collection especially challenging. Key informants were sometimes new to their posts and were unable to provide details on specific programs, policies, or coverage rates. Few countries in Latin America and the Caribbean mainstream into their crisis and emergency plans protection of the nutritional status of mothers and children in the first 1,000 days of life. All countries should reinforce the promotion and protection of breastfeeding in emergencies, notably by providing an enabling space for mothers to safely breastfeed their children and by managing the provision of artificial milk formula. It is concerning that during emergencies most countries provide powdered artificial formula instead of ready-to-use artificial milk formula to infants that cannot breastfeed, greatly increasing the risks of illnesses and malnutrition as a result of inappropriate dilution and unsafe water. All countries need to reinforce their monitoring and evaluation systems, including surveillance of food and nutrition insecurity. While most countries have some form of monitoring system, few of those systems are computerized, which impairs timely and informed decision making. Systematic evaluations of emergency and crisis response are seldom performed. A number of countries would benefit from updating their nutrition policy and protocols based on the latest available evidence. Of particular importance are updates to the prevention and treatment of micronutrient deficiencies with micronutrient powders; treatment of acute malnutrition, notably with the use of ready-to-use supplements; and efficient treatment of diarrhea through the use of oral rehydration solution and zinc. Most countries will benefit from adapting the food and water rations given in emergencies to the specific nutritional needs of pregnant and lactating women and children <2 years of age.Publication How to Protect and Promote the Nutrition of Mothers and Children in Latin America and the Caribbean(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-12-10)The study includes: glossary; references; and annexes. A number of countries in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region have been severely hit by food-price crises in 2008 and are still very vulnerable to food-price volatility experienced since late 2010. Humanitarian responses to high food prices, crises, shocks, or emergency situations should help the poor avoid the consequences of the reduced affordability of a basic food basket. This is especially crucial in the first 1,000 days of life (that is, children from pregnancy until they reach 2 years of age and breastfeeding women), since most of the physical and cognitive damages due to improper nutrition in this period are irreversible. The World Bank is leading a regional study on how to improve LAC country responses so as to protect the nutritional status of the poorest and most vulnerable in times of crises and emergencies.Publication India's Undernourished Children : A Call for Reform and Action(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2006)The prevalence of child undernutrition in India is among the highest in the world; nearly double that of Sub-Saharan Africa, with dire consequences for morbidity, mortality, productivity and economic growth. Drawing on qualitative studies and quantitative evidence from large household surveys, this book explores the dimensions of child undernutrition in India and examines the effectiveness of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program, India's main early child development intervention, in addressing it. Although levels of undernutrition in India declined modestly during the 1990s, the reductions lagged behind those achieved by other countries with similar economic growth. Nutritional inequalities across different states and socioeconomic and demographic groups remain large. Although the ICDS program appears to be well-designed and well-placed to address the multi-dimensional causes of malnutrition in India, several problems exist that prevent it from reaching its potential. The book concludes with a discussion of a number of concrete actions that can be taken to bridge the gap between the policy intentions of ICDS and its actual implementation.Publication Situational Analysis(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-01)The World Bank and The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) jointly developed this report to calculate the potential human and economic benefits to be gained from increasing nutrition investments in the Kyrgyz Republic. This report provides compelling evidence of the potential to improve health and economic outcomes through scaling up effective nutrition interventions and introducing new proven interventions to reduce the direct causes of under nutrition in order to support the Kyrgyz government's commitment to the well-being and prosperous future of the Kyrgyz people. This situational analysis examines and quantifies the scope of under nutrition in the Kyrgyz Republic by presenting: (1) the epidemiology of under nutrition; (2) an estimate of the health consequences of under nutrition in terms of mortality and disability adjusted life years (DALYs), and the economic losses due to lost workforce and productivity; (3) the health, social protection, and agriculture and food intervention systems relevant to delivering interventions for improving nutrition; (4) the current coverage of nutrition interventions; and (5) the potential economic gains achievable by scaling up effective nutrition interventions. The current context is very favorable for scaling up nutrition interventions in the Kyrgyz Republic. Investing in nutrition has increasingly proven to have excellent development and health returns. The international development community has recognized (1) the need to scale up nutrition interventions; (2) the potential for public-private partnerships; and, (3) a growing consensus around a common framework for action. Reducing under nutrition worldwide is a priority for the World Bank and UNICEF, and also critical to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).Publication United Republic of Tanzania : Advancing Nutrition for Long-Term Equitable Growth(Washington, DC, 2007-12)This report explores the importance of nutrition for Tanzania. It demonstrates that the prevalence of malnutrition is very high. In fact, Tanzania appears to be affected by a double burden of malnutrition, with a very high incidence of undernourished children, but with a high prevalence of overweight and obese adults as well, particularly in urban areas. The report highlights the high (economic and welfare) costs associated to such high rates of malnutrition by discussing the consequence of malnutrition for infant mortality, education outcomes, the health system and labor productivity. For nutrition to be successfully advanced high level support is needed. Efforts to advance nutrition in Tanzania have made before, with the earliest attempts dating back to the late 1970s. Most have not been very successful. To enhance the likelihood of success this time, commitment from all stakeholders is needed. A social contract that is announced at a public event by a high level policy maker may be one way to commit the actors to change. Such a social contract would have to set clear objectives and a timeline, it would have to define roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders and provide an accountability framework. The high incidence of malnutrition thus presents an opportunity to enhance school performance, reduce maternal and infant and child mortality and to improve the ability of the labor force to be productive.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication The Journey Ahead(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-31)The Journey Ahead: Supporting Successful Migration in Europe and Central Asia provides an in-depth analysis of international migration in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) and the implications for policy making. By identifying challenges and opportunities associated with migration in the region, it aims to inform a more nuanced, evidencebased debate on the costs and benefits of cross-border mobility. Using data-driven insights and new analysis, the report shows that migration has been an engine of prosperity and has helped address some of ECA’s demographic and socioeconomic disparities. Yet, migration’s full economic potential remains untapped. The report identifies multiple barriers keeping migration from achieving its full potential. Crucially, it argues that policies in both origin and destination countries can help maximize the development impacts of migration and effectively manage the economic, social, and political costs. Drawing from a wide range of literature, country experiences, and novel analysis, The Journey Ahead presents actionable policy options to enhance the benefits of migration for destination and origin countries and migrants themselves. Some measures can be taken unilaterally by countries, whereas others require close bilateral or regional coordination. The recommendations are tailored to different types of migration— forced displacement as well as high-skilled and low-skilled economic migration—and from the perspectives of both sending and receiving countries. This report serves as a comprehensive resource for governments, development partners, and other stakeholders throughout Europe and Central Asia, where the richness and diversity of migration experiences provide valuable insights for policy makers in other regions of the world.Publication Lebanon Economic Monitor, Fall 2022(Washington, DC, 2022-11)The economy continues to contract, albeit at a somewhat slower pace. Public finances improved in 2021, but only because spending collapsed faster than revenue generation. Testament to the continued atrophy of Lebanon’s economy, the Lebanese Pound continues to depreciate sharply. The sharp deterioration in the currency continues to drive surging inflation, in triple digits since July 2020, impacting the poor and vulnerable the most. An unprecedented institutional vacuum will likely further delay any agreement on crisis resolution and much needed reforms; this includes prior actions as part of the April 2022 International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff-level agreement (SLA). Divergent views among key stakeholders on how to distribute the financial losses remains the main bottleneck for reaching an agreement on a comprehensive reform agenda. Lebanon needs to urgently adopt a domestic, equitable, and comprehensive solution that is predicated on: (i) addressing upfront the balance sheet impairments, (ii) restoring liquidity, and (iii) adhering to sound global practices of bail-in solutions based on a hierarchy of creditors (starting with banks’ shareholders) that protects small depositors.Publication World Development Report 2006(Washington, DC, 2005)This year’s Word Development Report (WDR), the twenty-eighth, looks at the role of equity in the development process. It defines equity in terms of two basic principles. The first is equal opportunities: that a person’s chances in life should be determined by his or her talents and efforts, rather than by pre-determined circumstances such as race, gender, social or family background. The second principle is the avoidance of extreme deprivation in outcomes, particularly in health, education and consumption levels. This principle thus includes the objective of poverty reduction. The report’s main message is that, in the long run, the pursuit of equity and the pursuit of economic prosperity are complementary. In addition to detailed chapters exploring these and related issues, the Report contains selected data from the World Development Indicators 2005‹an appendix of economic and social data for over 200 countries. This Report offers practical insights for policymakers, executives, scholars, and all those with an interest in economic development.Publication Classroom Assessment to Support Foundational Literacy(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-03-21)This document focuses primarily on how classroom assessment activities can measure students’ literacy skills as they progress along a learning trajectory towards reading fluently and with comprehension by the end of primary school grades. The document addresses considerations regarding the design and implementation of early grade reading classroom assessment, provides examples of assessment activities from a variety of countries and contexts, and discusses the importance of incorporating classroom assessment practices into teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers. The structure of the document is as follows. The first section presents definitions and addresses basic questions on classroom assessment. Section 2 covers the intersection between assessment and early grade reading by discussing how learning assessment can measure early grade reading skills following the reading learning trajectory. Section 3 compares some of the most common early grade literacy assessment tools with respect to the early grade reading skills and developmental phases. Section 4 of the document addresses teacher training considerations in developing, scoring, and using early grade reading assessment. Additional issues in assessing reading skills in the classroom and using assessment results to improve teaching and learning are reviewed in section 5. Throughout the document, country cases are presented to demonstrate how assessment activities can be implemented in the classroom in different contexts.Publication Argentina Country Climate and Development Report(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-11)The Argentina Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) explores opportunities and identifies trade-offs for aligning Argentina’s growth and poverty reduction policies with its commitments on, and its ability to withstand, climate change. It assesses how the country can: reduce its vulnerability to climate shocks through targeted public and private investments and adequation of social protection. The report also shows how Argentina can seize the benefits of a global decarbonization path to sustain a more robust economic growth through further development of Argentina’s potential for renewable energy, energy efficiency actions, the lithium value chain, as well as climate-smart agriculture (and land use) options. Given Argentina’s context, this CCDR focuses on win-win policies and investments, which have large co-benefits or can contribute to raising the country’s growth while helping to adapt the economy, also considering how human capital actions can accompany a just transition.