Prospects for Improving Nutrition in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (Health, Nutrition, and Population Series)

This report presents an overview of critical nutrition issues effecting the Eastern European and Central Asian (ECA) countries and suggests strategies for improvement. The ECA region is diverse in economic, political, and social structures, as are the nutrition problems in the region. The report finds that, in addition to poverty, lack of knowledge about basic nutrition among populations is also a key determinant of malnutrition in the ECA region. Contents......Page 4 Foreword......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Glossary of Terms and Acronyms......Page 12 Executive Summary......Page 16 1 Introduction......Page 20 Undernutrition......Page 24 Micronutrient Deficiencies......Page 29 Overweight and Obesity......Page 32 Undernutrition and Growth Failure......Page 36 Maternal Nutrition and Low Birth Weight......Page 38 Infant Mortality Rates......Page 39 Micronutrient Deficiencies......Page 40 Overweight and Obesity......Page 44 4 Causes of Malnutrition in the ECA Region......Page 48 Behaviors Affecting Nutritional Status......Page 49 Disease, Access to Health Services, and Water and Sanitation......Page 51 Rising Food Prices......Page 53 Removal and Reduction of Food Subsidies......Page 54 Changes in Real Wages, Food Shares, and Unemployment......Page 55 Changes in the Availability of Food in the General Population......Page 56 Coping Mechanisms......Page 62 Malnutrition in Vulnerable Groups......Page 63 Overconsumption......Page 67 A Closer Look at the Central Asian Republics......Page 68 Existing Programs......Page 70 General Recommendations......Page 76 Central Asian Republics and Caucasus......Page 79 Southern and Eastern Europe and Western Former Soviet Union......Page 80 Conclusions......Page 81 Bibliography......Page 82 Annex: Detailed Information Sheets for Selected Countries (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Lithuania, Moldova, Roma.........Page 92 Figures......Page 6 Boxes......Page 7 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 Annotation This report presents an overview of critical nutrition issues effecting the Eastern European and Central Asian (ECA) countries and suggests strategies for improvement