POLICY BRIEF N° 34 JUNE 2026 The Unesco Chair in World Food Systems breaks down the barriers of knowledge on food. The So What? collection translates the results of research into straightforward conclusions for action.
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● In Ethiopia, undernutrition among women and young children coexists with rising levels of overweight and obesity, particularly among women in urban areas, illustrating the double burden of malnutrition. ● This study, conducted under the TAMMIE project, draws on participatory methods used in Addis Ababa with women and institutional stakeholders to identify barriers to a healthy diet, prioritise actions to address the double burden of malnutrition, and determine which actors to mobilise. ● The disconnect between the structural constraints identified by the participants and institutional priorities— which are largely centred on individual accountability— highlights the need for so-called ‘double-duty’ actions and strengthened intersectoral governance.
From lived experiences to public policy: rethinking the fight against the double burden of malnutrition among women and young children in Ethiopia Rébecca Pradeilles, Institut de recherche pour le développement, UMR MoISA, Montpellier, France; International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington DC, USA. Nicolas Bricas, CIRAD, UMR MoISA and the UNESCO Chair In World Food Systems, Montpellier, France. Meron Worku, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Kaleab Baye, IPORA, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Research center for Inclusive Development in Africa (RIDA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Michelle Holdsworth, Institut de recherche pour le développement, UMR MoISA, Montpellier, France. Marie Ruel, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington DC, USA. Masresha Tessema, Aregash Samuel, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Ethiopia. Liza Rives, Comm’Sciences, Montpellier, France.
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n low-and middle-income countries, undernutrition and overweight/obesity coexist, reflecting an increasingly complex nutritional landscape. Progress in curbing undernutrition and its impacts (stunted growth, wasting, underweight, micronutrient deficiencies) remains slow, whilst overweight and obesity continue to increase. The double burden of malnuThe double burden trition (DBM) is an epidemiological and biological phenomenon of malnutrition is stemming from common determinants, primarily poor diet. an epidemiological These two forms of malnutrition have historically been and biological treated as separate problems. In light of this, recent work by the phenomenon. World Health Organisation (WHO) highlights the need to replace this compartmentalised approach with so-called ‘double-duty actions’ designed to simultaneously prevent multiple forms of malnutrition. In 2017, the WHO identified five priority actions to combat the DBM. This framework was subsequently expanded to ten ‘double-duty actions’, presented in a paper published in The Lancet (1) and calling for a joint mobilisation of the health, education, social protection and agriculture sectors (Figure 1).
With the support of Organisation des Nations Unies pour l’éducation, la science et la culture
Chaire Unesco en alimentations du monde France