Stunting, overweight and obesity in the very young: two sides of the coin

SOURCE: HSRC Review
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2013
TITLE AUTHOR(S): M.A.Dhansay, D.Labadarios, O.Shisana, W.Parker
KEYWORDS: CHILDREN, DIETARY HABITS, FOOD AND NUTRITION, HEALTH, OBESITY, RISK BEHAVIOUR, WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
DEPARTMENT: Public Health, Societies and Belonging (HSC), Office of the CEO (ERM), Office of the CEO (OCEO), Office of the CEO (IL), Office of the CEO (BS), Office of the CEO (IA)
Web link: http://www.hsrc.ac.za/en/review/hsrc-review-september-2013/stunting-overweight-and-obesity-in-the-very-young-two-sides-of-a-coin
Intranet: HSRC Library: shelf number 7912
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/2799
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/2799

If you would like to obtain a copy of this Research Output, please contact Hanlie Baudin at researchoutputs@hsrc.ac.za.

Abstract

Nutrition, in general, is an important prerequisite to both individual and national development. More specifically, nutrition early in life is considered to be an important determinant of health and disease patterns in adulthood. As such, nutrition during the first 1 000 days right from the start of pregnancy up to the child's second birthday is considered critical to the child's development and health in adulthood. Various national surveys have shown that child undernutrition, especially stunting (chronic undernutrition), has remained unacceptably high in South Africa. Although other forms of child undernutrition occur less frequently, they are of equal importance. The South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1) provided more recent information on the prevalence of malnutrition, including undernutrition and overnutrition, overweight and obesity.