This paper examines a variety of policy initiatives that the U.S., other donors, and LDCs themselves can adopt to maximize the impact of development programs on nutritional status of citizens of the developing world. Improving nutrition is vital to the overall goal of strengthening the economies of developing countries. Nutritional well-being is a necessary and crucial input in the development process. Undernourished adults have lower stamina, productivity, and attentiveness. They are sick more often and more seriously than well-nourished adults.
Undernourished women give birth to smaller, less robust babies than well-nourished women.
Low birthweight babies are at high risk of death before the age of one year. Undernourished children have stunted mental and physical development that may later compromise school performance, physical capacity, and economic productivity. Better nutrition is also an essential output of economic development. Unless health, life expectancy, and vitality are improved as a result of economic growth, development has not achieved its true objectives. This will not come about automatically, however.