2018 Global Nutrition Report

Malnutrition is a universal issue holding back development with unacceptable human consequences. Yet the opportunity to end malnutrition has never been greater. The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition 2016–2025 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide global and national impetus to address malnutrition and expedite progress.

The burden of malnutrition across the world remains unacceptably high, and progress unacceptably slow. Yet significant steps are being made to address malnutrition. Many countries are set to achieve at least one of the targets set by the global community to track progress on nutritional status to 2025. Advances in data are enabling us to progress our understanding of the nature of the burden of malnutrition in all its forms and its causes – and therefore guide and inspire action and improve our ability to track progress.

The 2018 Global Nutrition Report provides a data update to shine a light on steps needed to seize this window of opportunity, and get on track towards the SDG target of ending malnutrition in all its forms by 2030. The report collates existing data, presents new innovations in data and conducts novel data analysis, focusing on five areas: the burden of malnutrition, emerging areas in need of focus, diets as a common cause of malnutrition in all its forms, financing of nutrition action, and global commitments. Throughout the report, examples of actions being taken to address malnutrition are highlighted and explored.

Through this analysis, the 2018 Global Nutrition Report casts a light on where there has been progress and identifies where major problems still lie – and thus where actions are needed to consolidate progress and fill major gaps.

The Global Nutrition Report website also includes presentation slides in English, French and Spanish, as well as country nutrition profiles and historic Global Nutrition Reports.