Adolescents and their Nutrition: A Landscape View from Pakistan

Abstract

Adolescence is considered one of the most crucial stages, and the second most rapid-growth period of life because most of the developmental growth occurs during this period. However, adolescent children are dep-rived of healthy nutrition worldwide. They suffer from malnutrition resulting in both underweight and over-weight, and other non-communicable diseases predisposing them to many cardiovascular risk factors later in their life. The status of adolescent nutrition in Pakistan needs attention especially amongst girls because of the increasing prevalence of malnutrition including wasting, stunting and micronutrient deficiency, early marriage, and unhealthy lifestyle. To improve nutrition amongst adolescents worldwide, the global strategies including United Nations Sustainable Developmental Goals, UNICEF's strategy for women’s, children’s and adolescent's health, and scaling up nutrition (SUN) movement have devised targets and goals. Pakistan is working on many aspects of the global strategies being recommended to improve the quality of health amongst the adolescent population. There is a dire need to incorporate evidence-based recommendations at both the individual and policy-making levels to address this public health issue.