Topic: Maternal Health

Investing in Nutrition: The Foundation for Development

Malnutrition kills millions of children every year and robs millions more of the opportunity to reach their full potential. This global crisis requires global action in order to give every child a fair start to life.

In 2012, world leaders committed to reaching six global nutrition targets by 2025. Yet, reaching these targets in the next decade will require significant investment. World leaders must act now to fulfill their promises and save millions of lives.

The World Bank, Results for Development Institute, and 1,000 Days – with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation – conducted an in-depth analysis of how much it will cost to meet four of the six global nutrition targets, and how to pay for it. Download the report to learn more.

The Lancet Breastfeeding Series

Released January 2016, The Lancet Breastfeeding Series highlights the significant economic and health benefits for both rich and poor countries alike when governments support breastfeeding through meaningful investments and programs.  Based on a growing body of evidence, the Series finds the global costs of lower cognitive ability associated with not breastfeeding amount to more than $300 billion each year, a figure comparable to the entire global pharmaceutical market. Moreover, 820,000 children’s lives could be saved annually with increased breastfeeding rates, a nearly 13 percent reduction in all under-5 child deaths.

Nutrition and health in women, children, and adolescent girls

Published alongside the UN Secretary General’s second Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, this policy brief makes the case for strengthened focus on nutrition, with special attention to the first 1,000 days (from a woman’s pregnancy to the child’s second birthday), pregnant and lactating women, women of reproductive age, and adolescent girls. According to the authors, urgent action is needed to tackle malnutrition in all its forms and to help nutrition unlock the potential of investment in the health of women, children and adolescents.

The 2013 Lancet Series on Maternal and Child Nutrition

In a follow up to its 2008 series, The Lancet’s 2013 series on maternal and child nutrition revealed that improvements in nutrition remain “a massive unfinished agenda.” Perhaps the most startling new finding was the revelation that malnutrition is responsible for nearly half of all child deaths each year—3 million children under age 5—and is the single greatest threat to child survival. The evidence within The Lancet reinforced the case for improving nutrition in the first 1,000 days, highlighting 10 proven nutrition interventions could save almost 1 million lives and reduce the number of stunted children by 33 million.

The 2008 Lancet Series on Maternal and Child Undernutrition

In 2008, the British Medical journal The Lancet published a landmark series of papers which led to a seismic shift in how the world addresses maternal and child malnutrition. The 2008 Lancet Series provided the foundation of scientific evidence upon with 1,000 Days was created.

Breastfeeding Infographic

In collaboration with WHO, 1,000 Days developed this infographic—one in a series of six—to highlight actions needed to achieve the global target on breastfeeding.

Childhood Overweight Infographic

In collaboration with WHO, 1,000 Days developed this infographic—one in a series of six—to highlight actions needed to achieve the global target on childhood overweight.

Low Birth Weight Infographic

In collaboration with WHO, 1,000 Days developed this infographic—one in a series of six—to highlight actions needed to achieve the global target on low birth weight.

Anaemia Infographic

In collaboration with WHO, 1,000 Days developed this infographic—one in a series of six—to highlight actions needed to achieve the global target on anemia.