Abstract

VORSTER, Hester (Esté) H.. The link between poverty and malnutrition: A South African perspective. Health SA Gesondheid (Online) [online]. 2010, vol.15, n.1, pp.1-6. ISSN 2071-9736.

In this article, a brief review of the nutritional problems in South Africa, as well as the intergenerational, vicious cycle of poverty and malnutrition, are used to argue for the necessity of including a nutrition intervention component in poverty-alleviation programmes. It is concluded that this cycle can be broken by improving the nutritional status of women in their productive years, whereby foetal malnutrition, arrested mental development and physical stunting in children, adolescents and adults can be prevented. The result will be an improvement in human capital, health and productivity with the ultimate aim of escaping poverty as suggested by the seven principles of Solomons (2005).

Keywords : double burden of nutrition-related disease; foetal programming; poverty; human capital; obesity; overweight; over-nutrition; stunting; under-nutrition.

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