Nurturing economic growth through nutrition.

• Position: Brief Article

Economic growth can be positively influenced by improved nutrition, FAO says in a special section of its annual report, The State of Food and Agriculture 2001: "The impact of nutrition on labour productivity, health and education ultimately filters through to higher levels of overall economic growth." Raising the per capita calorie intake to 2,770 calories per day in countries where it is below that level could increase the per capita gross domestic product growth in those countries by between 0.34 and 1 .48 percentage points per year. In the 1996-1998 period, FAO found that some 826 million people worldwide were, undernourished, facing a shortfall in their basic daily energy requirements of between 100 and 400 calories.

While the consequences of an inadequate diet are not always visible "undernourishment leads to a lower nutritional status, or undernutrition, to which the body adjusts by slowing down its physical activity and, in the case of children, growth". Undernutrition also increases susceptibility to disease and causes listlessness, limiting the ability of children to concentrate. "An estimated 740 million people suffer from disorders related to iodine deficiency, including mental retardation, delayed motor development and stunting. There are more than 16 million cretins and nearly 49.5 million people suffering from brain damage caused by iodine deficiency. About two billion people are anemic, mainly as a result of iron deficiency, the most common micronutrient disorder, which reduces physical productivity, and children's cognitive skills." Between 100 million and 140 million children suffer from vitamin A deficiency. According to the report, the biggest impact comes from improvements in the health of women, because t his not only benefits families and communities today, but will also have a major impact on the health and productivity of the next generation.

In its special chapter on "Economic Impacts of Transboundary Plant Pests and Animal Diseases", FAO warns that the spread of emergent diseases and invasive species has increased dramatically in recent years. The rapidly increasing transboundary movements of goods and people, trade liberalization, increasing concerns about food safety and the environment have heightened the need for international cooperation in controlling and managing transboundary pests and diseases. "Growth in the trade of fresh fruits and vegetables is responsible for many of the quarantine pest problems...