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  • Publication | 2023

WHO guideline on the prevention and management of wasting and nutritional oedema (acute malnutrition) in infants and children under 5 years

Global Food and Nutrition Security

Highlights:

The Global Action Plan on Child Wasting called upon the World Health Organization (WHO) to create updated guidance for governments in preventing and managing child wasting in all situations. Recently, the WHO issued a 2023 guideline featuring recommendations and best practice statements backed by solid evidence for addressing wasting and nutritional oedema in children. This is the first time the guideline covers both severe and moderate forms of wasting. The guideline focuses on four main areas: infants under 6 months old at-risk of poor growth and development, moderate wasting in children aged 6-59 months, severe wasting and nutritional oedema in children aged 6-59 months, and preventing wasting and nutritional oedema from a child health perspective.

Notably, the 2023 guideline introduces recommendations to tackle an expanded range of nutritional challenges. These encompass support and interventions for mothers and caregivers, assistance for at-risk infants under 6 months who have not yet developed wasting, management of moderate acute malnutrition through dietary and clinical treatment, programs to prevent wasting in various contexts, and addressing psychosocial factors affecting care for vulnerable children.