The Cost of Malnutrition: Why Policy Action is Urgent

Malnutrition carries huge direct and indirect costs to individuals, families and to entire nations

Abstract

The estimated impact of malnutrition on the global economy could be as high as US$3.5 trillion per year. Such enormous costs result from lost economic growth and investments in human capital associated with preventable child deaths, as well as premature adult mortality linked to diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Further costs are incurred through impaired learning potential, poor school performance, compromised adult labour productivity, and increased health care costs.

This output is funded under the Department for International Developments Global Panel on Agriculture & Food Systems for Nutrition Programme

Citation

Global Panel (2016), The Cost of Malnutrition: Why Policy Action is Urgent, Technical Brief No.3, London: Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition, 11pp

The Cost of Malnutrition: Why Policy Action is Urgent

Updates to this page

Published 1 July 2016