Leveraging nutrition for food security: the integration of nutrition in the four pillars of food security

Abstract Food insecurity and malnutrition are related; major global concerns are embedded in many UN sustainable development goals. Food insecurity predicts all forms of malnutrition including stunting, wasting, micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight and obesity. Hunger, measured by prevalence of undernutrition, is a key indicator of food insecurity. Thus although methods of measurement and sources of data differ, both the prevalence of undernourishment and severe food insecurity reflect the burden of severe food deprivation in the population. The UN agencies are now calling for new ways of thinking to integrate food security concerns into malnutrition eradication, addressing hunger, food insecurity, and their consequences for nutrition. Achieving this goal necessitates emphasizing nutrition in all four pillars of food security targeting policies, designs, and interventions fostering nutrition-sensitive agriculture, driving economic prosperity, and promoting food systems that prioritize access to safe, nutritious, sufficient, and high-quality food for all.