2.1 Undernourishment in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region

The second part of the book gives an overview of the nutritional situation in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. This chapter is dedicated to undernourishment that manifests in many ways. Low birth weight as well as wasting, stunting and underweight in children under 5 years are particularly common in low-income countries of the region and those hit by crises and armed conflicts. On average, stunting caused by deficiencies of certain micronutrients and/or protein is observed in more than a quarter of the pre-school children of the region.