| dc.description.abstract |
In many low- and middle-income countries, the coexistence of undernutrition with overweight
and obesity threatens economic development and progress to improve health. This double
burden of malnutrition demands a re-evaluation of the roles and responsibilities of
nutrition actors, both traditional and nontraditional. The United Nations World Food
Programme (WFP) is one nontraditional actor in the double burden debate. Using a descriptive
case study qualitative methodology, this paper explores whether WFP’s food aid and
assistance has the potential to reach beyond its traditional mandate on undernutrition
to also address overweight and obesity. The analysis demonstrates that in the context
of Ghana, one country experiencing the double burden, WFP’s food aid and assistance
activities do have the potential to serve as a platform on which to address the double
burden. Interview insight from key actors in the global nutrition landscape also helped
identify challenges that complicate the role of WFP and other players in addressing
the double burden in Ghana. The findings suggest that the integration of WFP as a
partner in the effort to address the double burden might help amplify progress. Moreover,
they suggest that, to better address the double burden, WFP might prioritize retrofitting
existing activities rather than implementing new interventions. While this study focuses
on Ghana, the foundation of its findings might be applicable in similar contexts.
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