Rural transformation and the double burden of malnutrition among rural youth in developing countries
Adolescence and early adulthood are periods of major biological, economic and social transitions for rural youth. They provide a critical window of opportunity for addressing chronic nutritional deficits from childhood, for “catch-up” growth, for providing a solid foundation for a healthy productive and reproductive life, and for arresting the intergenerational transmission of malnutrition. In this study show that rural transformation processes are associated with improvements in rural youth nutrition– malnutrition and underweight–in nearly all regions, although the pace of change varies considerably across countries. Most low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) are faced with the double burden of malnutrition and overweight/obesity, and in some countries this double burden is increasing, with the prevalence of underweight and overweight/obesity rising concurrently.
