Super Cereal Plus and the Well-Being of Children from 6 to 24 Months in the Context of El Salvador's Nutrition Transition
El Salvador is in a nutrition transition. In the past 20 years, stunting rates have declined by 25 percent in young children, while overweight and obesity have reached epidemic proportions, affecting about 60 percent of reproductive-age (15 to 49 y...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2020
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/217081599663727566/Super-Cereal-Plus-SC-and-the-Well-Being-of-Children-from-6-to-24-Months-in-the-Context-of-El-Salvador-s-Nutrition-Transition http://hdl.handle.net/10986/34450 |
| Summary: | El Salvador is in a nutrition
transition. In the past 20 years, stunting rates have
declined by 25 percent in young children, while overweight
and obesity have reached epidemic proportions, affecting
about 60 percent of reproductive-age (15 to 49 years) women
and increasing among children under five. To accelerate the
progress in reducing stunting, anemia, and other
micronutrient deficiencies, the government launched several
interventions over the last three decades. This included
mandatory fortification of staple foods, distribution of
micronutrient supplements to all children, and distribution
of fortified-blended foods (FBFs) in most municipalities.
The implementation of programs such as these should be
considered only after an analysis has been made of the
target population’s nutritional needs; the context
surrounding the program; and the availability,
affordability, effectiveness, and acceptability of the
intervention (de Pee and Bloem 2009; PAHO 2003). The aim of
this paper is to discuss the effect and potential risks of
distributing Super Cereal Plus (SC+) to the general
population of children under two in the current
epidemiological context of El Salvador. Evidence is unclear
about the impact of fortified-blended foods, such as SC+, in
preventing stunting. In El Salvador, there are concerns
about children’s energy intake being a contributing factor
to obesity. Furthermore, the micronutrient intake of young
children through the interventions mentioned above may be
excessive and potentially harmful. |
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