Malnutrition in the OIC Member
Countries: A Trap for Poverty
found that several measures including communicating information about the importance of
healthy eating and physical activity, fiscal measures that make unhealthy foods more
expensive and healthy foods cheaper, and regulatory measures around labelling or limiting the
promotion of unhealthy foods (especially to children) are highly cost effective in terms of
reductions in future health costs (Cecchini et al. 2010).
The “Cost of Hunger in Africa” study estimated that Egypt spent USD 213 million on costs
directly related to childhood undernutrition, both due to increased frequency and duration of
disease and the protocols for correct treatment. This number is likely a gross underestimation
of what would be required to treat all underweight children in the country as it estimated that
only 1 in 5 children is receiving adequate health care, and it is likely this number will increase
as health care provision expands more in rural areas (African Union Commission, NEPAD
Planning and Coordinating Agency, UN and Economic Commission for Africa, and UNWorld
Food Programme. 2014). This estimate does not take into account the increased healthcare
costs, which are likely to be substantial given the rate of overweight for adults is 68% and that
of obesity is close to 30% (International Food Policy Research Institute 2016).
2.6. Regional Policies Related to Malnutrition for the OIC Member Countries
This section looks at key policies from regional economic groups which are relevant to the
reduction of malnutrition. Policies examined included both nutrition-specific policies and
nutrition-sensitive policies. As an example of these are agricultural policies which are relevant
to improving nutrition (e.g. The Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme
(CAADP] of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD] which aims to enhance
food security by promoting interventions designed to increase agricultural production,
improve nutritional value of staple foods, and ensure better access to food for vulnerable
groups. Policies which apply to large number of OIC countries, and which guide the
development of national policies within a large region, such as the African Union, are discussed
in more depth. Policies which effect only one or two OIC countries have not been included.
First international global targets and policies are presented, followed by policies for Africa,
Asia and finally Europe and Central Asia. Because of the paucity of OIC countries in South
America, this region has been excluded from this analysis.
International Code of the Marketing ofBreastmilk substitutes
The International code on the marketing of Breastmilk substitutes was developed in 1981 by
the World Health Organization to ensure that breastmilk substitutes were not marketed or
distributed in a way which interferes with protection and promotion of breastfeeding. It
asserts that governments have a responsibility for ensuring that breastfeeding is promoted
and that where breastmilk substitutes are available, that they contain correct information in
local languages about the benefits of breastfeeding, negative effects of formula feeding, and
that they do not glamorise and promote the use of breastmilk substitutes in any way (World
Health Organization Europe 1981).
The code had been adopted into legislation in 71% of the 136 countries who answered to a
2010 questionnaire issued by the WHO to monitor adoption and compliance of the code. Key
areas of the code included prohibiting the marketing of breastmilk substitutes to the general
public, prohibition of sale devices (discounts, promotions) to increase sales of breastmilk
substitutes to the general public, free or low cost distribution of breastmilk substitutes in
health facilities, giving gifts or other materials to health care workers, ensuring correct
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