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Nutrients
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Tackling Malnutrition: What's on the Agenda?
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Tackling Malnutrition: What's on the Agenda?

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 October 2026 | Viewed by 1728

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Blessing J. Akombi-Inyang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Interests: global health; maternal health; neonatal health; child health; malnutrition; adolescent health services; epidemiology; public health; developing countries
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Malnutrition in all its forms—undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight/obesity—remains a major global health challenge, exacerbated by socioeconomic inequalities, conflict, climate change, and shifting food systems. This Special Issue, “Tackling Malnutrition: What's on the Agenda?”, invites the submission of research and critical perspectives that explore innovative strategies, policies, and interventions addressing malnutrition at the local, national, and global levels.

We aim to highlight multisectoral approaches, the role of governance and policy frameworks, and emerging challenges such as the double and triple burden of malnutrition. Contributions to this issue may include original research, systematic reviews, case studies, and policy analyses that examine efforts to improve nutrition outcomes across different settings and populations.

By collecting and publishing varying insights, this issue seeks to advance understanding, inform action, and stimulate dialogue on the priorities and future directions for tackling malnutrition worldwide.

Dr. Blessing J. Akombi-Inyang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • global health
  • public health
  • maternal health
  • child health
  • neonatal health
  • adolescent health
  • malnutrition
  • epidemiology
  • migrant health
  • developing countries

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 2070 KB  
Article
Sex-Based Differences in Imaging-Derived Body Composition and Their Association with Clinical Malnutrition in Abdominal Surgery Patients
by Raheema A. Damani, Shubha Vasisht, Valerie Luks, Gracia Vargas, Charlene Compher, Paul M. Titchenell, Gregory Tasian, Hongzhe Li, Gary D. Wu, Walter R. Witschey and Victoria M. Gershuni
Nutrients 2026, 18(5), 839; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18050839 - 5 Mar 2026
Viewed by 548
Abstract
Background: Malnutrition significantly impacts surgical outcomes yet is difficult to identify preoperatively. Few studies have investigated the association between comprehensive body composition assessment and malnutrition in males and females separately. This study evaluates sex-specific associations between preoperative imaging-derived body composition features and [...] Read more.
Background: Malnutrition significantly impacts surgical outcomes yet is difficult to identify preoperatively. Few studies have investigated the association between comprehensive body composition assessment and malnutrition in males and females separately. This study evaluates sex-specific associations between preoperative imaging-derived body composition features and malnutrition in abdominal surgery patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study included patients who underwent a preoperative abdominal computed tomography scan and elective abdominal surgery at a single institution (2018–2021). A deep learning algorithm quantified five muscle groups and two fat depots from CT scans. Clinical malnutrition was diagnosed by registered dietitians using standardized criteria. Sex-specific associations between imaging features and malnutrition were evaluated using logistic regression. Results: Among 1143 patients, 20.2% had clinical malnutrition, with prevalence varying by procedure type (3.5–38.2%). Malnutrition was associated with reduced muscle volume for both sexes; however, myosteatosis was only associated with malnutrition in females. In males, malnutrition was associated with decreased psoas volume (OR: 0.58, 95% CI [0.41–0.82]), decreased quadratus lumborum volume (OR: 0.52, 95% CI [0.35–0.77]), and reduced erector spinae attenuation (OR 0.58, 95% CI [0.41–0.82]). In females, decreased psoas volume (OR 0.56, 95% CI [0.41–0.77]) and attenuation (OR 0.59, 95% CI [0.44–0.79]) were associated with malnutrition. Both sexes showed increased subcutaneous fat attenuation (males: OR 1.58, 95% CI [1.22–2.04]; females: OR 1.96, 95% CI [1.54–2.50]) and visceral fat attenuation (males: OR 1.43 95% CI [1.07–1.90]; females: OR 1.68 95% CI [1.29–2.20]) associated with malnutrition. Conclusions: Males and females exhibit distinct body composition features associated with clinical malnutrition. Comprehensive analysis of muscle and fat characteristics reveals these sex-specific relationships, providing foundational knowledge for future development of predictive tools to enable earlier identification of patients at higher nutrition-related surgical risk. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tackling Malnutrition: What's on the Agenda?)
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18 pages, 472 KB  
Article
Malnutrition Among Children Under Five in Djibouti: A Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure Analysis from the 2023 Multisectoral Survey
by Hassan Abdourahman Awaleh, Tony Byamungu, Mohamed Hsairi and Jalila El Ati
Nutrients 2026, 18(2), 306; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18020306 - 19 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 742
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Child undernutrition remains a major public health in Djibouti, yet conventional anthropometric indicators may underestimate its true burden by failing to capture overlapping forms of malnutrition. The Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF) provides a more comprehensive assessment by identifying children [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Child undernutrition remains a major public health in Djibouti, yet conventional anthropometric indicators may underestimate its true burden by failing to capture overlapping forms of malnutrition. The Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF) provides a more comprehensive assessment by identifying children experiencing one or multiple anthropometric deficits. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and determinants of undernutrition among children under five years of age in Djibouti using the CIAF. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of data from the nationally representative 2023 Multisectoral Survey conducted in Djibouti. A cross-sectional design with a two-stage stratified cluster sampling method was used to collect data on a national random sample (n = 2103) of children aged 6–59 months. Standardized anthropometric measurements were used to derive conventional indicators (stunting, wasting, and underweight) and the CIAF. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with anthropometric failures, adjusting for child, household, and contextual characteristics. Results: Based on conventional indicators, 23.4% of children were stunted, 20.0% were underweight, and 9.9% were wasted. Using the CIAF, 36.9% of children experienced at least one anthropometric failure, including 18.8% with multiple concurrent failures. Boys, children aged 6–47 months, those living in nomadic households, and those residing in specific regions had significantly higher risks of undernutrition. Socioeconomic indicators and household food security were not independently associated with undernutrition after adjustment. Conclusions: More than one-third of children under five in Djibouti experience undernutrition when assessed using the CIAF, revealing a substantial hidden burden not captured by conventional indicators alone. Incorporating the CIAF into routine nutrition surveillance could improve identification of vulnerable children and support more targeted, context-specific interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tackling Malnutrition: What's on the Agenda?)
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