scholarly journals Child Nutrition Trends Over the Past Two Decades and Challenges for Achieving Nutrition SDGs and National Targets in China

Author(s):  
Bo Yang ◽  
Xin Huang ◽  
Qin Liu ◽  
Shenglan Tang ◽  
Mary Story ◽  
...  

Background: The objectives of the current study were to identify the trends in child nutrition, the gaps in achieving child nutrition-related goals, and implications for program and policy options for the Chinese government. Methods: Eight child nutrition-related indicators from the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and China’s national nutrition plans, and two datasets, Global Burden of Disease 2016 and Chinese National Nutrition and Health Surveillance, were used in our analysis. Results: Over the past 26 years, the prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight for children under 5 years was reduced by 58.7%, 53.4%, and 69.2%, respectively. Overweight for children aged 1–4 years increased 88.9% and obesity increased 2.14 times. Exclusive breastfeeding of newborns (7–28 days) was stable, at about 30%. We estimated child wasting would be 3.0% lower than the target of 5.0% based on predictive values for meeting the SDGs in 2025. The number of stunted children under five years would be reduced by 39.7%, while overweight would increase 2.2% throughout China. Conclusion: These results highlight the urgent need for targeted policies and interventions to reduce child stunting and overweight and increase exclusive breastfeeding to improve child health and meet the SDG targets and China’s national goals.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 215013272199688
Author(s):  
Yonas Getaye Tefera ◽  
Asnakew Achaw Ayele

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted during the United Nations meeting in 2015 to succeed Millennium Development Goals. Among the health targets, SDG 3.2 is to end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age by 2030. These 2 targets aim to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1000 live births. Ethiopia is demonstrating a great reduction in child mortality since 2000. In the 2019 child mortality estimation which is nearly 5 years after SDGs adoption, Ethiopia’s progress toward reducing the newborns and under-5 mortality lie at 27 and 50.7 per 1000 live births, respectively. The generous financial and technical support from the global partners have helped to achieve such a significant reduction. Nevertheless, the SDG targets for newborns and under-5 mortality reduction are neither attained yet nor met the national plan to achieve by the end of 2019/2020. The partnership dynamics during COVID-19 crisis and the pandemic itself may also be taken as an opportunity to draw lessons and spur efforts to achieve SDG targets. This urges the need to reaffirm a comprehensive partnership and realignment with other interconnected development goals. Therefore, collective efforts with strong partnerships are required to improve the determinants of child health and achieving SDG target reduction until 2030.


Mercator ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2020) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Neli de Mello ThéryNeli de Mello Théry ◽  
Patrick Caron

Science does not progress without controversy as well the societies. In this article, this approach is privileged, aiming to analyze whether they can hinder or speed up the agricultural and food, environmental and sanitary transitions necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It begins with an alert to the past development model and the limits of the planet, highlighting some themes and forms of action chosen by international institutions and / or scientist’s networks. Then, we selected some controversies and their arguments, related to environmental issues and the evolution of food systems. In the subsequent item, its actors and five sub controversies sought to highlight the difficulties for the transition to circular systems, considered as a vector of sustainability. It is concluded that controversies can block advances for transitions, being essential the design of methods, criteria and indicators for a better understanding of oppositions, as well as the need to include both themes and new approaches in research agendas.


2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Huang ◽  
Bo Yang ◽  
Qin Liu ◽  
Ruilin Zhang ◽  
Shenglan Tang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Although good progress was made in maternal and child nutrition during the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) era, malnutrition remains one of the major threats on global health. Therefore, the United Nation set several nutrition-related goals in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There is much to be learned from individual countries in terms of efforts and actions taken to reduce malnutrition. China, as a developing country, launched a number of nutrition improvement policies and programs that resulted in dramatic progress in improving maternal and child nutrition during the MDGs era. This study explored the impact, experiences, and lessons learned from the nutrition policies and programs initiated in China during the MDGs era and implications to achieve the SDGs for China and other developing countries. Method The CNKI database and official websites of Chinese government were searched for reviews on nutrition-related policies and intervention programs. A qualitative study was conducted among key informants from the Chinese government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and universities for two major national nutrition intervention programs. Results The literature review documented that during the MDGs era, six nutrition policies and eight trans-province and nationwide nutrition intervention programs collectively made good progress in improving maternal and child nutrition in China. Nutrition policies tended to be targeted at infants and children, with less attention on reproductive and maternal nutrition. Nutrition intervention programs focused primarily on undernutrition and have achieved positive results, while for breastfeeding improvement and prevention and control on overweight and obesity were limited. Results from the qualitative study indicated that effective nutrition program implementation was facilitated through the cooperation of multiple sectors and by the government and NGO partnerships, however, still face challenges of insufficient operational funds from local governments and inadequacy of program monitoring and management. Conclusion Nutrition policies and intervention programs promulgated in China during the MDGs era have made major contributions to the rapid decline of undernutrition and are in line to achieve the SDGs related to child wasting, stunting, low birth weight, and anemia in reproductive-age women. However, appropriate policies and program implementation are needed to improve exclusive breastfeeding rates and reduce obesity to achieve the SDGs in years to come.


2021 ◽  
Vol 115 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-187
Author(s):  
Sophie Boisson ◽  
Leah Wohlgemuth ◽  
Aya Yajima ◽  
Genandrialine Peralta ◽  
Nebe Obiageli ◽  
...  

Abstract Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are essential for the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The forthcoming NTD road map ‘Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030’ encourages cross-sectoral collaboration and includes cross-cutting targets on WASH. This commentary reflects on collaborative efforts between the NTD and WASH sectors over the past years and encourages strengthened partnerships to support the new road map and achieve the 2030 agenda ambition of leaving no one behind.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 1329-1342
Author(s):  
Fiona Winfield ◽  
Tabani Ndlovu

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of how a UK business school has explicitly linked sustainability to employability and embedded these into all levels of its undergraduate and postgraduate degree portfolio. Design/methodology/approach This case study features Nottingham Business School’s (NBS’s) journey of linking sustainability with employability to achieve the University’s strategic objectives and help deliver on the sustainable development goals (SDGs). After reviewing all courses, a cross-school approach was adopted in re-designing the curriculum, first at undergraduate and later postgraduate level. Partnerships, both internal and external were developed, involving the employability and enterprise teams, the University’s students and alumni, local employers, local authorities and businesses and charities. Feedback from graduates is included. Findings When NBS introduced new undergraduate modules in 2012, there was resistance with concerns over already crammed curricula and the perceived irrelevance of sustainability. This changed as students realised that an understanding of sustainability was benefiting them at interviews and adding value to their employers. While it cannot be proved that increased self-awareness and sustainability literacy have a direct effect on graduate prospects (as measured by the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey), NBS has seen the percentage of students in graduate level employment and/or study increase from 71 to 89.6 per cent over the past five years. Originality/value Linking sustainability to employability, and embedding these in the curriculum, should benefit any institution, its students, employers and society, and can be replicated anywhere in the world.


Author(s):  
Chenyang Shuai ◽  
Long Yu ◽  
Xi Chen ◽  
Bu Zhao ◽  
Shen Qu ◽  
...  

Abstract Hundreds of indicators are available to monitor progress of countries and regions towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the sheer number of indicators poses unprecedented challenges for data collection and compilation. Here we identify a subset of SDG indicators (principal indicators) that are relatively easy to collect data for and also are representative for all the indicators by considering the complex interrelationship among them. We find 147 principal indicators that can represent at least 90% of the annual variances of 351 SDG indicators in the past (2000-2017) and are expected to do so for the future (2018-2030) with the lowest difficulty of data collection. Our results can guide future investment in building the data infrastructure for SDG monitoring to give priorities to these principal indicators for global comparison.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Huang ◽  
Bo Yang ◽  
Qin Liu ◽  
Ruilin Zhang ◽  
Shenglan Tang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Although good progress was made in maternal and child nutrition during the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) era, malnutrition remains one of the major threats on global health. Therefore, the United Nation set several nutrition-related goals in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There is much to be learned from individual countries in terms of efforts and actions taken to reduce malnutrition in order to achieve the nutrition-related SDGs. China as a developing country launched a number of nutrition improvement policies and programs, that resulted in dramatic progress in improving maternal and child nutrition during the MDGs era. This study explored the impact, experiences and lessons learned from nutrition policies and programs initiated in China during the MDGs era, and implications to achieve the SDGs for China and other developing countries. Method: The CNKI database and official websites of Chinese Government were searched for reviews on nutrition-related policies and intervention programs. A qualitative study was conducted among key informants from the Chinese government, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Universities for two major national nutrition intervention programs. Results: The literature review documented that during the MDGs six nutrition policies and eight trans-province and nationwide nutrition intervention programs collectively made good progress in improving maternal and child nutrition in China. Nutrition Policies tended to be targeted at infants and children, with less attention on reproductive and maternal nutrition. Nutrition intervention programs focused primarily on undernutrition and achieved positive results, while for breastfeeding improvement and prevention and control on overweight and obesity were limited. Results from the qualitative study indicated that effective nutrition program implementation was facilitated through cooperation of multiple sectors and by government and NGOs partnerships, however, still face challenges of insufficient local working funds, monitoring and inadequate management. Conclusion: Nutrition policies and intervention programs promulgated in China during the MDGs era made major contributions to the rapid decline of undernutrition, and are in line to achieve the SDGs related to child wasting, stunting, low birth weight and anemia in reproductive-age women. However, policies and program implementation are needed to improve exclusive breastfeeding rates and reduce obesity to achieve the SDGs.


Author(s):  
Hans de Wit ◽  
Ligia Deca

Abstract Internationalization has evolved in higher education over the past 30 to 40 years from a marginal aspect to a key aspect of the reform agenda. It also has evolved in different directions and, in that process, some previous values have got lost, and past priorities have been replaced by others. Economic rationales have become more dominant, but as the society is facing extreme challenges, summarized in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, internationalization needs to respond to these challenges and goals.


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