Current Students and Staff

IAS Seminar: “Break free, grow tall, reach far” – a systems approach for stunting reduction

• 19 June 2024
• 12pm-1pm
• International House and Zoom webinar
• Event website

About this event

Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) Visiting Fellow Dr Lisanne Du Plessis will deliver a seminar on their research.

The nutritional status of young children in South Africa is of great concern. Stunting in a quarter of children under five is particularly alarming since it poses significant costs to health, cognitive development, schooling, and economic performance in the future. Overweight and obesity in this age group is also on the increase. The multiple burdens of malnutrition reflect a food system that is failing. This stems from inequalities of the past with persistent issues of access and agency but also highlights the unscrupulous actions of big food companies. To address these challenges requires working with government, communities, civil society organisations, and researchers to understand the complexities and work collectively to identify innovations and effective interventions to reverse the numbers.

The presentation will share a systems approach to understand the multiple burdens of malnutrition and to identify community-based approaches to improving early childhood development, nutrition, and health for the future generation South Africans.

Please arrive from 11.45am for a 12pm start. For those joining in person, lunch will be served after the seminar from 1pm.