Peer-reviewed article
Worldwide prevalence of the double burden of malnutrition in children and adolescents at the individual level: systematic review and meta-regression.
Raytta Silva Viana, Keisyanne De Araújo-Moura, Augusto César Ferreira De Moraes ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This systematic review examined how common the double burden of malnutrition (DBM) is in children and adolescents worldwide, where individuals experience both overweight/obesity and undernutrition at the same time. The researchers searched major databases and found 11 studies showing DBM prevalence ranging from 1% to 35.4%, with the highest rates in low- and middle-income countries. Asia showed the highest DBM rates in children, while Latin America had the highest in adolescents. The review highlights that standardized definitions and methods are needed to better understand and address this nutrition challenge.
Key points
- DBM prevalence ranged from 1% to 35.4% across studies, with highest rates in low- and middle-income countries
- Overweight/obesity prevalence in children ranged from 8.1% to 37.0%, while undernutrition ranged from 4.2% to 73.0%
- Asia had the highest DBM prevalence among children; Latin America had the highest among adolescents
- Research on DBM has notably increased over 2013-2022 period
- Significant variability in DBM prevalence across studies suggests need for standardized definitions and methods
Limitations
This is a descriptive systematic review that documents prevalence patterns but does not explain the underlying causes of DBM or evaluate interventions to address it. The wide range of definitions and methods used across the 11 included studies limits direct comparability of results.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of the double burden of malnutrition (DBM) at the individual level in children and adolescents through a comprehensive literature review. SOURCES: Electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, were searched for articles published up until September 9, 2022. Studies reporting individual-level DBM in children and adolescents were included, and meta-regression models were used to investigate potential causes of heterogeneity across studies. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS: Of the 784 articles initially retrieved, 11 met the inclusion criteria. The overweight/obesity prevalence ranges from 8.1 % to 37.0 %, and the undernutrition (stunting, micronutrient deficiency, or anemia) from 4.2 % and 73.0 %. The prevalence of DBM ranged from 1 % to 35.4 %, with the highest rates observed in low- and middle-income countries. Among children, Asia reported the highest DBM prevalence, while in adolescents, Latin America had the highest rates. The review revealed significant variability in DBM prevalence across studies, with a notable increase in research on this topic over the past decade (2013-2022). CONCLUSION: These findings underscore the concerning global prevalence of the double burden of malnutrition in children and adolescents, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Standardized definitions and methods are urgently needed to improve comparability, along with further research to identify the specific drivers of DBM and inform effective prevention strategies. CRD42022333424.