Improving Nutritional Status

Key Element of Youth Reproductive Health Policy

Adolescence is a key time from a nutritional standpoint. For many young people, chronic undernutrition causes stunting, delays growth and physical maturation, increases risk to pregnant teens and their newborns, and decreases the capacity to work. Nutritional deficiencies such as anemia are widespread in both young men and women. The importance of good adolescent nutrition goes beyond reproductive health. Diet and lifestyle-related chronic diseases--many with their roots in adolescence--are emerging as one of the most important health problems in the developing world.

Efforts aimed at improving the nutritional status of adolescents focus on the following goals:

• Prevention of problems during pregnancy [fact sheet available]
• Prevention of diet-related illness

For a more in-depth discussion of these and other topics, see the fact sheets.

Resources

Adolescent Nutrition at-a-Glance. This World Bank website provides a brief overview of adolescent nutrition problems and program and policy responses.