Household Levels of Double Burden of Malnutrition in Low–Middle-income Countries: A Review

Abstract

Malnutrition is characterised by both over-nutrition and under-nutrition. Over-nutrition is defined as excessive intake of energy and/or macronutrients. Both over-nutrition and under-nutrition are associated with a wide range of detrimental health conditions. Under-nutrition can contribute to high mortality, morbidity and poor infant health conditions; lead to delayed physical and mental development among children; and cause poor physical productivity and reproductive outcomes among adults. Over-nutrition remains the main risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancers. The world has witnessed a global obesity epidemic with levels rising at alarming rates in the low-middle-income countries. The higher prevalence of obesity is often accompanied by under-nutrition, and these two health issues coexist at household levels. This is termed as ‘Double Burden of Malnutrition’. The objectives of the present article are to account for the evidences, causes and risk factors of household level of double burden of malnutrition in the low-middle-income countries.