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KNOWLEDGE FOR POLICY

Supporting policy with scientific evidence

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Publication | 2021

Nutrition Policy in Cape Verde

Cape Verde is not on track to meet any of the global maternal, infant, and young child nutrition targets, based on available data. Whilst the latest prevalence data shows that 59.6% of infants aged 0 to 5 months are exclusively breastfedi , there is insufficient data to assess the progress that Cape Verde has made towards achieving both the low birth weightii and exclusive breastfeedingiii targets. Even when data are available, accurate projections are further complicated by the datasets being outdated. With regards to U5 stuntingiv, wastingv and overweightvi, as well as a lack of adequate prevalence data on current trends, there is insufficient data to assess progress and project estimates towards meeting these targets by 2025. With 33.3% of women of reproductive age (WRA) now affected by anemiavii, Cape Verde shows no progress towards achieving the target of reducing WRA anemia. Beyond the WHA targets, with regards to the adult population (aged 18 years and over), Cape Verde's obesity prevalence is lower than the regional average, with an estimate of 16.3% of adult women and 6.9% of adult men living with obesityviii (compared to the regional average of 18.4% for women and 7.8% for men). However, Cape Verde has shown no progress towards achieving the target for obesity, and limited progress towards achieving other diet-related non-communicable disease (NCD) targets, with a prevalence of diabetesix estimated to affect 8.0% of adult women and 9.1% of adult men.