Commentary

World Health Assembly Resolution on Infant and Young Child Nutrition adopted

About 112 million children worldwide are underweight and 186 million children under five are stunted (i.e. low height-for-age), 90% living in 36 countries. Malnutrition in children is related to inappropriate infant and young child feeding practices. Globally, only 35% of infants less than six months of age are exclusively breastfed and complementary feeding practices are far from optimal. Improvement of breastfeeding practices could save annually the lives of about one million children. Complementary feeding along with continual breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond could save the lives of another half a million children. The WHA 63.23 resolution adopted on 21 May 2010 includes a call for increased political commitment, the implementation of the global strategy for infant and young child feeding, and strengthening of nutritional surveillance systems and improved use of millennium development goal indicators to monitor progress. Relevant to the UNSCN, the Resolution 63.23 also requests the WHO Director-General "to continue and strengthen the existing mechanisms for collaboration with other UN Agencies and international organizations involved in the process of ensuring improved nutrition including clear identification of leadership, division of labour and outcomes".

If you want to read more about the WHA resolutions (resolution to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, the marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages to children, monitoring of the achievement of the health-related Millenium Development Goals, etc.) check the WHO website for the final versions when they become available.