Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2011, 8, 358-373; doi:10.3390/ijerph8020358 OPEN ACCESS International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ISSN 1660-4601 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph Review The Role of Food and Nutrition System Approaches in Tackling Hidden Hunger Francesco Burchi 1, Jessica Fanzo 2,* and Emile Frison 2 1 Department of Economics, Roma Tre University, Via Silvio D’Amico 77, 00145, Rome, Italy; E-Mail: fburchi@uniroma3.it (F.B.) 2 Bioversity International, Via dei Tre Denari 472/a, 00057 Maccarese, Roma, Italy; E-Mail: e.frison@cgiar.org (E.F.) * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: j.fanzo@cgiar.org; Tel. +39-06-6118227; Fax. +39-06-61979661. Received: 15 December 2010; in revised form: 21 January 2011 / Accepted: 25 January 2011 / Published: 31 January 2011 Abstract: One of the World’s greatest challenges is to secure sufficient and healthy food for all, and to do so in an environmentally sustainable manner. This review explores the interrelationships of food, health, and environment, and their role in addressing chronic micronutrient deficiencies, also known as ―hidden hunger‖, affecting over two billion people worldwide. While the complexity and underlying determinants of undernutrition have been well-understood for decades, the scaling of food and nutrition system approaches that combine sustainable agriculture aimed at improved diet diversity and livelihoods have been limited in their development and implementation. However, an integrated system approach to reduce hidden hunger could potentially serve as a sustainable opportunity. Keywords: food security; food and nutrition systems; hidden hunger; food-based strategies; undernutrition; agriculture