2022 Volume 80 Issue 1 Pages 60-68
Objective: We aimed to examine the history behind the proposal of double-duty actions for nutrition in the global discussion on the double burden of malnutrition and consider the nutrition-related policies in Japan.
Methods: We examined nutrition-related reports and policy documents issued by the United Nations and related organizations on their official websites and searched the literature using the keywords "double-duty actions" and "nutrition."
Results: While policies and interventions for undernutrition and overnutrition are typically conducted separately and independently, the concept of simultaneously tackling both these nutritional problems, i.e., double-duty actions, has been discussed recently. Since policymakers are required to achieve multiple goals with limited resources, the World Health Organization and the Lancet have proposed several double-duty actions as solutions. These were relatively more focused on policies and interventions for mothers and children. Moreover, the emphasis was on interventions in the early stages of life.
Conclusions: To achieve Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) of the Sustainable Development Goals, double-duty actions should be considered for a wider population, similar to the policies that have been executed traditionally in Japan. These include the provision of maternal and child health handbooks, maternal and child nutrition services through antenatal and infant health checkups, and school meals; food and nutrition education (SHOKUIKU); educating nutrition professionals; conducting the National Health and Nutrition Survey; and devising dietary standards and guidelines.
