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Nutrition in emergencies
High rates of hunger and malnutrition occur among refugees and displaced populations, representing currently over 40 million people worldwide, many of whom – infants, children, adolescents, adults and the elderly – suffer from one or more of the multiple forms of malnutrition. Besides wasting, deficiencies of iodine, vitamin A and iron are common in emergency-affected populations. In addition, scurvy, pellagra and beriberi frequently occur in populations entirely dependent on food aid. The levels of risk of malnutrition – deficiencies of vitamin C, niacin and thiamin (vitamin B1), respectively – in emergencies depends on factors such as the degree of civil security, food availability and accessibility, access to health services, and adequacy of assistance delivery. More information
Field guide on rapid nutritional assessment in
emergencies
Full text [pdf 2.81Mb] Arabic version
WHO Global Database on Child Growth and Malnutrition WHO HQ Nutrition in Emergencies http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/emergencies/en/index.html
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All
major emergencies, by definition threaten human life and
public health. They often result in food shortages,
impair or jeopardize the nutritional status of a
community and cause excess mortality in all age groups.
Nutrition is therefore a key public health concern in
emergency management. 
