Hunger to Health - A UK action plan to turn the tide on malnutrition and hunger

Malnutrition is one of the biggest killers of children worldwide, claiming the lives of over two million under-fives each year, and blighting millions more. Access to good nutrition is foundational to development, but malnutrition receives less than 1% of global overseas aid.

Join us in making the case for a renewed commitment from the UK to help solve this urgent problem.

Graph representing percentage of overseas aid invested in the fight against hunger and malnutrition

Graph representing the correlation between food insecurity and migration

Graph representing the return on investment in nutrition

Implementing this plan would save over 700,000 lives over five years, and deliver more than 300 million interventions to vulnerable women and children around the world.

It would also set the world on track for a more sustainable, equal and climate-resilient future.

Illustration step 1, © UNICEF/UN0519271/Zhanibekov

While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to malnutrition, the Power 4 stands out for its evidence base, cost-effectiveness, scalability, and life-saving potential. These interventions are:

Emergency therapeutic food
Prenatal vitamins
Breastfeeding support
Vitamin A supplementation

Infographic showing the impact of Hunger to Health in 5 years

Title Impact of Hunger to Health over 5 years

See what dozens of leaders have to say about Hunger to Health.

Be part of this effort and spread the word about Hunger to Health to your networks.

"Hunger to Health draws much-needed attention to the fact that good nutrition is essential for achieving the SDGs and promoting the health of children, women and girls. As this work highlights, prevention is just as important as treatment when tackling issues of nutrition at their root, including across food and health systems. The paper also argues convincingly that we must double down on cost-effective interventions, and that the UK is uniquely placed to play a key role. This is a call to action to end global malnutrition, and we look forward to working with our partners to make it happen."

‍Kitty Arie - CEO of RESULTS UK

"Supporting efforts to combat malnutrition and hunger globally is not just a morally imperative act but also a crucial geopolitical move. In an increasingly interconnected world, the health and stability of one nation can have ripple effects across borders. Hunger to Health is a really good report that plots out a practical, ambitious way forward for the UK to regain its leading position and build lasting partnerships in the fight against global malnutrition."

Rt Hon Baroness Catherine Ashton LG GCMG

"I’ve seen first-hand the outsized impact that UK aid investments can have around the world. Not only does Hunger-to-Health set out an ambitious agenda for global leadership on key interventions that prevent and treat malnutrition, it recognises the importance of improving global food systems and using long-established British expertise to invest in next-generation agriculture.”nutrition."

Professor Sir John Beddington CMG, FRS, HonFREng - Chair of the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition and Former Government Chief Scientific Advisor

"Johns Hopkins modelled the potential impact of an increase in targeted UK aid for malnutrition as part of the ‘Hunger to Health’ proposal. A relatively modest investment focused on treating and preventing malnutrition in women and children could save hundreds of thousands of lives and help strengthen countries' health systems."

‍Robert Black - Professor of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

“Good Nutrition is a key multiplier in achieving progress across the Sustainable Development Goals, including on education, health and poverty. Hunger to Health makes positive proposals to combat global malnutrition and it should be carefully considered by all those who want to see the UK continue to be a force for good in the world."

‍Lord Collins of Highbury - Shadow Spokesperson for International Development and Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Nutrition for Development

"The global crisis of malnutrition and hunger is growing fast. Good nourishment is a basic right for every child, yet millions still die and many more suffer lifelong consequences. Women and girls are worst affected as they often eat last and least. We must do better on using the nutrition efforts that we know work - saving lives and improving children's ability to learn and grow."

‍Preet Gill MP

“We need to unite to tackle global malnutrition – urgent action is needed. Hunger to Health highlights the vital link between nutrition and the wider SDGs, something that everyone in the UK who cares about ending extreme poverty can get behind. I welcome the emphasis on a holistic approach to address global malnutrition."

‍Ryan Henson - CEO of Coalition for Global Prosperity

"As a nutritionist in Malawi, I've witnessed the terrible effects of malnutrition on children’s lives including making vaccines less effective. This double burden threatens the survival of countless children while undermining global health security. Hunger to Health is a crucial step in saving lives and keeping deadly viruses at bay."

Mike Nkhombo Khunga - Public health and nutrition specialist

“Two million children under the age of five die each year from acute malnutrition. But their deaths are preventable. Proven cost-saving solutions already exist. The need for the UK to play its part fighting malnutrition and hunger has never been greater. Hunger to Health sets out the powerful case for why Britain must act.”

Laura Kyrke-Smith - UK Executive Director, International Rescue Committee

"Access to good nutrition is foundational to the ability of individuals and communities to thrive and prosper. Today however, millions of people, particularly women and girls, are dying every year from malnutrition. Hunger to Health offers bold proposals to address this tragedy and put the UK back at the heart of global efforts to turn the tide against hunger and inequity. Without such remedies, progress on other priorities such as girls’ education and gender equality will not be unlocked."

‍Dr Mairo Mandara - Obstetrician, gynaecologist, and public health physician Founder and Board Chair of Girl Child Concerns

"After years of progress, global malnutrition and hunger is on the rise. This impacts all of us because when communities cannot feed their children, they are forced to move from their land and instability and unrest often results. Focussing on measures to beat malnutrition such as those set out in Hunger to Health, allows people to thrive in their communities and is one of the best investments the UK can make.”

‍Layla Moran MP - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs & International Development

"The UK has a proud history at the heart of global efforts to tackle malnutrition and hunger. Hunger to Health is an important contribution to what I hope will be the next chapter in this most important of missions."

‍David Mundell MP - Co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Nutrition for Development

“It is critical that the UK steps up and shows leadership to alleviate global malnutrition. This plan is an important contribution to strategic thinking on making the world safer for us all.”

‍Lisa Nandy MP - Shadow International Development Minister

"Britain should be proud of its legacy in driving global progress against deadly malnutrition. Investing in malnutrition strengthens health systems, and promotes gender equality. It also provides incredible value for money: with a return of over £13 for every pound invested. But the world is way off track. We have turned the tide on malnutrition and hunger before. We must do so again.”

‍Jonny Oates - CEO, United Against Malnutrition and Hunger

"Hunger to Health calls attention to the scandal that two million children continue to die each year from preventable and treatable malnutrition. It shows the significant impact that the UK could have in reducing child mortality for a relatively modest investment and how by acting in partnership with others, we could help turn the tide on this human tragedy."

‍Lord Purvis of Tweed - Spokesman for Foreign Affairs, Development and International Trade

“The importance of preventing and treating wasting urgently cannot be overstated. Hunger to Health shows how focused investments to scale up interventions we have long known to work, can drive real progress in ensuring that no child dies from hunger.”

‍Amy Recknell - Innocent Foundation Director

"Malnutrition is a critical issue across the Commonwealth so I welcome Hunger to Health as a timely and focused proposal for investment in evidence-based interventions that will save lives and tackle the scourge of hunger.”

‍The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC - Secretary-General of the Commonwealth

“The London School for Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is proud to have worked with British and international research institutes to find solutions to global health issues, including malnutrition, for over a century. This work helps us in the UK and helps people around the world. We welcome Hunger to Health’s focused proposal to reduce wasting and save lives.”

‍Professor Liam Smeeth - Director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

"Every child has the right to good nutrition. In the past decade, the world has seen important gains however, progress has halted. Global hunger motivates people to take action. Hunger to Health provides a road map for the UK to step up and re-engage with the global community to protect future generations."

‍Gayle Smith - CEO of The One Campaign and Former Administrator of USAID

“I have served in conflict zones around the world and witnessed the breakdown of law and order due to food insecurity. Lack of food leads to insecurity, migration, it can trigger war and terrorism. The Hunger to Health action plan to beat malnutrition and hunger would avert human suffering on a vast scale and strengthen the stability and security of the UK and the world.”

‍Air Marshal (ret’d) Sir Graham Stacey, European Leadership Network

“We need to unite on tackling malnutrition so no child dies of this entirely preventable condition. Investment in nutrition is also investing in gender equality. When we prioritise nutrition, it enables a better life for women and girls, who are the hardest hit by malnutrition and food insecurity. Hunger to Health makes an important call for scaling up key interventions that have women and children at the heart of it.”

‍Baroness Sugg CBE - Co-chair, United Against Malnutrition and Hunger

“It is essential everyone, wherever they live, here or abroad, has access to nourishment to thrive. The UK’s past leadership in international development galvanised action and saved millions of lives and can do again. Hunger to Health’s evidence-based interventions would immediately improve children’s health and save lives. With the ODA budget stretched, focussing on the human building block of nutrition makes most sense.”

Anna Taylor - Executive Director, The Food Foundation

“At a time of constrained finances, a concerted investment in global nutrition, as set out in Hunger to Health, would deliver the best value, lasting human impact and a legacy of more climate-resilient global food and health systems, of which the UK could be justifiably proud.”

‍Lord Verjee CBE

"We have proven, cost-effective tools we need to save children’s lives. Hunger to Health is a timely call to action showing that by coming together, we can usher in a world where no child succumbs to malnutrition. Investing in scaling up interventions like the Power 4 is great value for money and makes a difference to millions of women and children.”

‍Zander Woollcombe - UK Director, Eleanor Crook Foundation

Hunger to Health makes the case for a renewed commitment from the UK to help solve this urgent problem. It describes a set of targeted, strategic investments and policy changes that could deliver over 300 million interventions to vulnerable women and children over the next five years, and reaffirm the UK’s influence and reputation on the world stage.

Read the proposal

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