Postgraduate Education in Nutrition in South Asia: A Huge Mismatch Between Investments and Needs

By:
Shweta Khandelwal, Tanusree Paul, Lawrence Haddad, Surbhi Bhalla, Stuart Gillespie, Ramanan Laxminarayan
Date:
2014
Resource type:
Blogs/news/opinion
Link:

This study examines postgraduate nutrition education in South Asia, focusing on Public Health Nutrition (PHN) programs. Researchers found 131 master's programs in nutrition, with only one dedicated PHN program and 15 others including PHN modules. Most universities offering nutrition education were in India, with limited options in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and almost none in Nepal, Bhutan, and Afghanistan.

The study highlights a lack of training in nutrition policy, agriculture, social protection, and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), which are crucial for tackling undernutrition. The authors call for government incentives to expand PHN-focused postgraduate education to build regional nutrition capacity.

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