The 4th international hidden hunger congress took place in Stuttgart, Germany, on 27 February and 3 March. Organised by the University of Hohenheim, the subject of this year’s event was “Hidden hunger and the transformation of food systems: how to combat the double burden of malnutrition?”.
What is the “double burden of malnutrition”? In reality, it concerns the coexistence of various forms de under-nutrition and over-nutrition (acute malnutrition, chronic malnutrition, deficiencies in micronutrients, excess weight, obesity) within a single country, a single community, a single household or a single individual. The majority of countries in the world are affected by this phenomenon, and its acceleration is worrying, particularly in urban, areas in developing countries.
By bringing together researchers (in the areas of nutrition, agriculture, economics and sociology), political deciders, representatives of civil society and the private sector, this congress enabled presentation of the most recent scientific breakthroughs on the subject and its causes, and allowed debate on the role and responsibilities of all involved.
During this congress, GRET participated in debates and collected a range of information that will be particularly useful to improve its strategies to prevent the various forms of malnutrition, whether for the implementation of its Nutridev international nutrition programme, or its Meriem project targeting three Sahelian capitals particularly affected by the multiple burdens of malnutrition.
