Double-duty actions for nutrition: policy brief

Overview

Double-duty actions include interventions, programmes and policies that have the potential to simultaneously reduce the risk or burden of both undernutrition (including wasting, stunting and micronutrient deficiency or insufficiency) and overweight, obesity or diet-related NCDs. Reflecting the shared drivers and platforms of contrasting forms of malnutrition, double duty can be achieved at three levels: through doing no harm with regard to existing actions on malnutrition; by retrofitting existing nutrition actions to address or improve new or other forms of malnutrition; and through the development of de-novo, integrated actions aimed at the double burden of malnutrition.

The coexistence of contrasting forms of malnutrition is known as the double burden of malnutrition. A global challenge, this double burden is united by shared drivers and solutions and therefore offers a unique opportunity for integrated nutrition action. This policy brief sets out the potential for double-duty actions to contribute to this intensified effort by addressing both sides of malnutrition through common interventions.