Key Definitions
3

Acute malnutrition (also known as wasting)Reflects a recent and severe process that has led to
substantial weight loss, usually associated with starvation
and/or disease. Acute malnutrition is calculated bycomparing the weight-for-height (WFH) of a child with areference population of well-nourished and healthy
children. Often used to assess the severity of emergencies
because it is strongly related to mortality.1
Birthrate
The proportion of births in a defined population.
Blanket feeding
Feeding of all persons or households in an affected population
without targeting specific individuals or subgroup.
Blanket supplementary feeding program
Nutrition programs that target a food supplement to allmembers of a specified at risk group, regardless of whether
they have moderate acute malnutrition. Blanket supplementary
feeding programs are usually implemented in combination
with a general food distribution. They primarily aim to prevent
deterioration in the nutritional status of at-risk groups.
BMI-for-age
A nutritional index based on anthropometry, used for theassessment of acute malnutrition in adolescents. It relates
BMI (body mass index) to age in order to take into accountchanges in anthropometric measurements during puberty.2
Body mass index (BMI)
A nutritional index based on anthropometry, used for theassessment of acute malnutrition in adults. It is measured
using body mass index or weight/height2 (kg/m2).2
Breast milk substitute (BMS)
Any food marketed or otherwise represented as a partial or
total replacement for breast milk, whether or not suitable
for that purpose.1
Chronic malnutrition
Chronic malnutrition, also known as stunting, is a sign of‘shortness’ and develops over a long period of time. In
children and adults, it is measured through the height-forage nutritional index.2
Common results framework
Government ministries and other stakeholders in SUN
countries are aligning their efforts to scale up nutrition
using Common Results Frameworks (CRFs). Theseframeworks ensure that all share the same goals andimplement effective and aligned actions to achieve these goals.
Country CRFs include both specific nutrition interventions
and nutrition-sensitive approaches to development.1

Community participation
The active involvement of the community in the planning,
management, implementation, monitoring and evaluationof services and projects.2
Complementary feeding
The transition from exclusive breastfeeding to complementary
feeding – typically covers the period from 6 to 24 months ofage. This is a critical period of growth during which
nutrient deficiencies and illnesses contribute globally tohigher rates of undernutrition among children under five
years of age. The SUN Movement aligns with the WHO
recommendation that infants should be exclusively
breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal
growth, development and health. Thereafter, infants should
receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods,
while continuing to breastfeed for up to two years or more.1
Coverage
The proportion of the target population reached by anintervention. Coverage is a key indicator for monitoringand evaluating interventions.2
Crude mortality rate
The proportion of a defined population who die each day
expressed over 10,000. This is the most useful indicator in
determining the severity of an emergency situation.2
Dehydration
Excessive loss of body fluids.2
Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes, also sometimes called juvenile-onset diabetes
or insulin-dependent diabetes is a chronic condition in which
the pancreas produces little or no insulin.
Type 2 diabetes, also sometimes called adult-onset or
non-insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition that
affects the way the body metabolizes sugars. With type 2
diabetes, the body either resists the effects of insulin or else
does not produce enough insulin.
“Diabesity” is a term coined by Dr Francine Kaufman toindicate a combination of diabetes and obesity.
Diarrhea
The presence of three or more loose or fluid stools over a
24-hour period, accompanied or not by blood, mucous or
fever. Diarrhea is caused by various bacteria or by viruses,
or may be a symptom of other infections. Diarrhea is one of
the major killers of young children in developing countries
and in emergencies.2

Key Definitions

Double burden of malnutrition
The “double burden of malnutrition” is defined as thecoexistence of undernutrition and overweight in the samecommunity or even the same household.
Dry feeding
Food provided in the form of a dry (take-home) ration.2
Early warning system
An information system designed to monitor indicatorsthat may predict or forewarn of impending food shortages
or famine.2

Food access
Income or other resources are adequate to obtain sufficientand appropriate food through home production, buying,barter, gathering, etc. Food may be available but notaccessible to people who do not have adequate land tocultivate or enough money to buy it.2
Food aid
In-kind rations of food, which can be sourced locally,
regionally or internationally.3

Emergency school feeding
Food provided either as a cooked meal or supplement inschool or as a take-home ration to improve school
attendance and performance, and to alleviate hunger.2

Food assistance
The set of interventions designed to provide access to foodto vulnerable and food insecure populations. Generally
included are instruments like food transfers, vouchers andcash transfers to ensure access to food of a given quantity,
quality or value.3

Endemic disease
An infectious disease that occurs throughout the year in a
population, such as malaria, worms or chest infections.2

Food diversity
A diet containing a wide range of different types offoodstuffs, used as a measure of household food access.2

Enrichment
When micronutrients lost or removed during food processing
are added back or restored in the final product (e.g., wheat
flour is enriched with vitamin B1, niacin and iron).2

Food fortification
The process of adding micronutrients to foodstuffs, during
or after processing, to bring micronutrient levels over andabove amounts in the original food product.2

Essential fatty acids (EFAs)
Fatty acids that cannot be constructed within an organism
from other components by any known chemical pathways,
and therefore must be obtained from food sources, such as
flaxseed oil and sunflower oil.2

Food security
Food security exists when all people, at all times, havephysical and economic access to sufficient safe andnutritious food that meets their dietary needs and foodpreferences for an active and healthy life.

Exclusive breastfeeding(adapted from WHO definition) Breast milk contains all thenutrients an infant needs in the first six months of life. It
protects against common childhood diseases such as
diarrhea and pneumonia, and may also have longer-term
benefits such as lowering mean blood pressure andcholesterol, and reducing the prevalence of obesity andtype-2 diabetes. The SUN Movement aligns with the WHO
recommendation on exclusive breastfeeding whereby infantsreceive only breast milk, no other liquids or solids – noteven water – for the first six months of life, to achieve
optimal growth, development and health. Thereafter,
infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe
complementary foods, while continuing to breastfeed for up
to two years or more.1

Fortificant
The vitamins and minerals added to fortified foods.2
Fortified blended foods (FBFs)
A mixture of cereals and other ingredients (such as soyabeans preferably de-hulled, pulses, oil seeds, dried skimmed
milk, and possibly sugar) that has been milled, blended,pre-cooked by extrusion or roasting, and fortified with apre-mix of adequate amount and with a wide range ofvitamins and minerals. Fortified blended foods include Corn
Soya Blend and Wheat Soy Blend.2
Growth reference
Nutritional indices are compared to expected
anthropometric values for an individual of the same sex andage. A growth reference reflects the expected values in areference population.2

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Key Definitions

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Growth standard
Nutritional indices are compared to expected
anthropometric values for an individual of the same sex andage. A growth standard is based on prescriptive criteria andinvolves value or normative judgments.2

Macronutrients
Nutrients that humans consume in the largest quantities
which provide bulk energy and are needed for a wide rangeof body functions and processes. The three macronutrientsare fat, protein and carbohydrate.2

Healthcare system
All organizations and institutions involved in the delivery ofhealth services, including governmental, non-governmental,
private organizations and institutions.2

Malnutrition
A condition resulting when a person’s diet does not provide
adequate nutrients for growth and maintenance or if they
are unable to fully utilize the food they eat due to illness.1

Hidden hunger
Occurs when a population that may be consuming enoughcalories is not receiving enough micronutrients (vitamins
and minerals), negatively impacting the health, cognitive
development and economic development of over 2 billion
people worldwide.1
HungerA weakened condition brought about by prolonged lack offood. Hunger can lead to malnutrition.1
InfantA child less than 12 months old.2
Infant and young child feeding (IYCF)
Term used to describe the feeding of infants (less than 12
months old) and young children (12–23 months old). IYCF
programs focus on the protection, promotion and supportof exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months; timely
introduction of complementary feeding and continued
breastfeeding for two years or beyond.1
Infant formulaA breast milk substitute formulated industrially inaccordance with applicable Codex Alimentarius standards
to satisfy the normal nutritional requirements of infants up
to six months of age.2
Information, education and communication (ICE)
Methods of providing people with an informed base formaking choices. Nutrition information refers to knowledge,
such as information about new foods that are being
introduced in an emergency situation. Nutrition educationrefers to training or orientation for a particular purpose
such as support for breastfeeding. Nutrition communicationrefers to the method by which information is imparted.2
Low birth weight
Weight at birth less than 2,500 grams.1

Micronutrient deficiency
A lack or shortage of a micronutrient, such as a vitamin or
mineral, that is essential in small amounts for the proper
growth and metabolism of a human or other living organism.2
Micronutrients
Essential vitamins and minerals required by the bodythroughout the lifecycle in miniscule amounts.1
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
At the Millennium Summit in September 2000 the largest
gathering of world leaders in history adopted the UN
Millennium Declaration, committing their nations to a new
global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and settingout a series of time-bound targets, with a deadline of 2015,that have become known as the Millennium Development
Goals. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) arequantified targets for addressing extreme poverty in its
many dimensions – income poverty, hunger, disease, lack ofadequate shelter, and exclusion – while promoting genderequality, education, and environmental sustainability. They
are also basic human rights – the rights of each person on
the planet to health, education, shelter, and security.1
Moderate acute malnutrition (MAM)
Acute malnutrition, also known as wasting, develops as aresult of recent rapid weight loss or a failure to gain weight.
The degree of acute malnutrition is classified as either
moderate or severe. Moderate malnutrition is defined by a
mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) between 115 mm
and <125 mm or a WFH between -3 z-score and <-2 z-scoreof the median (WHO standards) or WFH as a percentage ofthe median 70% and <80% ((National Center for Health
Statistics [NCHS] references).2
Multi-stakeholder platform
A shared space for cross-sector stakeholders – including
government representatives, civil society, UN agencies,
donors, businesses and the research and technicalcommunity – to come together within a SUN country toalign activities and take joint responsibility for scaling up
nutrition, including setting shared targets and coordinated,costed plans of action.1

Key Definitions

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – also known aschronic diseases – are not transmitted from person toperson. NCDs can progress slowly and persist in the bodyfor decades. The main types of NCDs include cardiovasculardisease, cancers, respiratory diseases and diabetes.
Nutrition security
Achieved when secure access to an appropriately nutritious
diet is coupled with a sanitary environment, adequate
health services and care.2 Nutrition security exists when, in
addition to having access to a healthy and balanced diet,people also have access to adequate caregiving practices andto a safe and healthy environment that allows them to stayhealthy and utilize the foods they eat effectively.
Nutritional status
The internal state of an individual as it relates to theavailability and utilization of nutrients at the cellular level.2
Nutrition-sensitive approaches
Strategies and plans that address the underlying and basic
causes of malnutrition and take into consideration the
cross-sector impact of nutrition.1
Nutrition-specific interventions
Programs and plans that are designed to address the directcauses of malnutrition and to have a specific impact onnutrition outcomes. These include: support for exclusive
breastfeeding; appropriate complementary feeding;micronutrient fortification and supplementation; andtreatment of acute malnutrition.1
Nutrition-specific interventions and programs
Interventions or programs that address the underlying
determinants of fetal and child nutrition and development– food security; adequate caregiving resources at thematernal, household and community levels; and access tohealth services and a safe and hygienic environment – andincorporate specific nutrition goals and actions. Nutritionsensitive programs can serve as delivery platforms fornutrition-specific interventions, potentially increasing theirscale, coverage, and effectiveness. Examples: agriculture andfood security; social safety nets; early child development;maternal mental health; women’s empowerment; childprotection; schooling; water, sanitation, and hygiene; healthand family planning services.4
Obesity
Obesity for adults is a BMI 30 to 39.99.
Morbidly obese for adults is BMI of 40 or greater.

Overweight
Overweight for adults is a BMI between 25 and 29.00.
Ready-to-use foods (RUF)
RUF can be eaten without further preparation or cooking.
Most RUF have very low moisture content and so can be
stored without refrigeration. They are typically energydense, mineral- and vitamin-fortified foods and can be used
for the treatment or prevention of various types ofundernutrition.2
Ready-to-use supplementary foods (RUSF)
Energy-dense, mineral- and vitamin-fortified foods that aredesigned to provide the quantities of macro- andmicronutrients needed for the treatment or prevention ofmoderate acute malnutrition. RUSFs can be eaten without
further preparation or cooking and are given as a supplement
to the ordinary diet. They have very low moisture content andso can be stored without refrigeration.2
Ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF)
Specialized ready-to-eat, portable, shelf-stable products,
available as pastes, spreads or biscuits, that are used in aprescribed manner to treat children with severe acutemalnutrition.1
Recommended daily allowance (RDA)
The average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient tomeet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (approximately
98 percent) healthy individuals.2
School feeding
Provision of meals or snacks to schoolchildren to improve
nutrition and promote education.2
Selective feeding programs
Targeted supplementary feeding or therapeutic careprograms that admit individuals based on anthropometric,
clinical or social criteria for correction of acutemalnutrition.2
Severe acute malnutrition (SAM)
Acute malnutrition, also known as wasting, develops as aresult of recent rapid weight loss or a failure to gain weight.
The degree of acute malnutrition is classified as either
moderate or severe. A child with severe acute malnutritionis highly vulnerable and has a high mortality risk. Severe
acute malnutrition is defined by the presence of bilateralpitting oedema or severe wasting, defined by MUAC <115 mm
or a WFH <-3 z-score (WHO standards) or WFH <70% of
the median (NCHS references)).2

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Key Definitions

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Stunting
Low height-for-age measurement used as an indicator ofchronic malnutrition, calculated by comparing the heightfor-age of a child with a reference population of wellnourished and healthy children.1
SUN donor convener
A representative from a donor organization in each SUN
county who is: actively engaged in the country, involved infinancially supporting nutrition-specific and/or nutritionsensitive programs and committed to increasing resources
for nutrition.1

Sustainable development goals
One of the main outcomes of the Rio+20 Conference wasthe agreement by member states to launch a process todevelop a set of sustainable development goals (SDGs),
which will build upon the Millennium Development Goals
and converge with the post-2015 development agenda. It
was decided to establish an “inclusive and transparent
intergovernmental process open to all stakeholders, with aview to developing global sustainable development goals tobe agreed by the General Assembly”.
In the Rio+20 outcome document, member States agreed
that sustainable development goals (SDGs) must:

SUN government Focal Point
A high-level individual appointed in each SUN country toplay a critical role in leading coordination efforts forcatalyzing efforts to advance nutrition in their country.
Focal Points help to establish the multi-stakeholder
platforms that strengthen coordination to improve support
for national plans. They work across sectors and bringministries and government departments together with local
development partners, civil society organizations, businesses
and UN agencies.1

1. Be based on Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of
Implementation.

SUN Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF)
A fund established in March 2012 by participating UN
agencies and contributing partners to provide catalytic
grants to governments, UN agencies, civil society groups,
other SUN stakeholders to facilitate the development andimplementation of government or stakeholder actions for
scaling up nutrition.1

6. Focus on priority areas for the achievement of sustainable
development, being guided by the outcome document.

Supplementary feeding
The provision of food to the nutritionally or sociallyvulnerable in addition to the general food distribution totreat or prevent malnutrition.2
Supplementary feeding program
Nutrition programs that aim to prevent individuals withmoderate acute malnutrition from developing severe acutemalnutrition, to treat those with moderate acutemalnutrition and to prevent the development of moderatemalnutrition in individuals. Supplementary feeding
programs can be blanket or targeted.2
Supplementation
Provision of nutrients either via a food or as a tablet,
capsule, syrup, or powder to boost the nutritional content
of the diet.

2. Fully respect all the Rio Principles.
3. Be consistent with international law.
4. Build upon commitments already made.
5. Contribute to the full implementation of the outcomes ofall major summits in the economic, social andenvironmental fields.

7. Address and incorporate in a balanced way all three
dimensions of sustainable development and theirinterlinkages.
8. Be coherent with and integrated into the United Nations
development agenda beyond 2015.
9. Not divert focus or effort from the achievement of theMillennium Development Goals.
10. Include active involvement of all relevant stakeholders, as
appropriate, in the process.

It was further agreed that SDGs must be:• Action-oriented• Concise• Easy to communicate• Limited in number• Aspirational• Global in nature• Universally applicable to all countries while taking into
account different national realities, capacities and levels ofdevelopment and respecting national policies and priorities.

Key Definitions

The outcome document further specifies that thedevelopment of SDGs should:

Undernutrition• Be useful for pursuing focused and coherent action onsustainable development

An insufficient intake of energy, protein or micronutrients,that in turn leads to nutritional deficiency. Undernutritionencompasses stunting, wasting and micronutrient
deficiencies.2• Contribute to the achievement of sustainable development• Serve as a driver for implementation and mainstreaming ofsustainable development in the UN system as a whole• Address and be focused on priority areas for theachievement of sustainable development

The Rio+20 outcome document The Future We Want resolved
to establish an inclusive and transparent intergovernmental
process on SDGs that is open to all stakeholders with a view todeveloping global sustainable development goals to be agreed
by the UN General Assembly. The outcome document
mandated the creation of an inter-governmental OpenWorking Group, that will submit a report to the 68th sessionof the General Assembly containing a proposal for sustainable
development goals for consideration and appropriate action.
The outcome document specifies that the process leading to the
SDGs needs to be coordinated and coherent with the processes
considering the post-2015 development agenda and that initial
input to the work of the Open Working Group will be
provided by the UN Secretary-General in consultation withnational governments.5
Targeted supplementary feeding program
Nutrition programs that provide nutritional support toindividuals with moderate acute malnutrition. They
generally target children under five, malnourished pregnant
and breastfeeding mothers, and other nutritionally at-risk
individuals in the presence of a general food distribution.
The objectives are primarily curative and aim to rehabilitate
individuals with moderate acute malnutrition, prevent
individuals with moderate acute malnutrition fromdeveloping severe acute malnutrition, prevent malnutrition
in at-risk individuals and rehabilitate referrals from thetreatment of severe acute malnutrition.2
UN REACH (Renewed Effort Against Child Hunger
and Undernutrition)
Established in 2008 by the Food and Agricultural
Organization (FAO), the United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF), the World Food Program (WFP), and the World
Health Organization (WHO) to assist governments ofcountries with a high burden of child and maternal
undernutrition to accelerate the scale-up of food andnutrition actions. The International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD) joined REACH later on with anadvisory role. REACH operates at country level as a
facilitating mechanism in the coordination of UN and otherpartners’ support to national nutrition scale-up plans.1

Underweight
Wasting or stunting or a combination of both, defined byweight-for-age below the -2 z-score line. 2
Vulnerability
The characteristics of a person or group in terms of theircapacity to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover fromthe impact of a natural (or human-made) hazard.2
Wasting (also known as acute malnutrition)
Reflects a recent and severe process that has led to
substantial weight loss, usually associated with starvation
and/or disease. Wasting is calculated by comparing theweight-for-height of a child with a reference population ofwell-nourished and healthy children. Often used to assess
the severity of emergencies because it is strongly related tomortality.1
Weight-for-length/height or BMI-for-age below the -2
z-score line. Severely wasted is below the -3 z-score line.2
Z-scoreAn indicator of how far a measurement is from the median,also known as a standard deviation (SD) score. The
reference lines on the growth charts (labeled 1, 2, 3, -1, -2,-3) are called z-score lines; they indicate how far points areabove or below the median z-score = 0).2
This glossary draws on a variety of sources. The provenance of individual
definitions is indicated by a reference as follows:
1 UNICEF SUN 2012
2 UNICEF Training on Nutrition in Emergencies, Glossary of Terms
3 Omamo SW, Gentilini U, Sandström S (eds). Revolution: From food aid tofood assistance. Innovations in overcoming hunger. 2010.
WfP, Rome, Italy.
4 The Lancet 2013 Series on Maternal and Child Nutrition, adapted from
Scaling Up Nutrition and Shekar and colleagues, 2013
5 United Nations Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform, June 20138