Childrens’ Nutritional Needs and Realities in an Emerging World

Children in developing countries are faced with many nutritional challenges. On the one hand, food security is under threat with inadequate energy intake and low dietary diversity; on the other hand, children are often exposed to diets typical of a Western lifestyle, leading to obesity and its attendant complications. This double burden of malnutrition is increasingly recognised in developing countries, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa.Recently, studies have highlighted the poor intake of school children and adolescents and the potential that interventions in this age group may have to improve growth and development.In this issue of Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, we address some of these questions (trends in childhood stunting and adulthood obesity, vitamin D and calcium metabolism, dietary intake in schoolchildren and adolescents, and the role of mycotoxins) with an emphasis on Africa.