Persistent Global Acute Malnutrition: A Discussion Paper on the Scope of the Problem, its Drivers, and Strategies for Moving Forward for Policy, Practice, and Research

In many protracted emergencies, the prevalence rates of global acute malnutrition (GAM) regularly exceed the emergency threshold of > 15% of children despite ongoing humanitarian interventions. The widespread scale and long-lasting nature of “persistent GAM” means that it must be a policy and programming priority. Drawing on a literature review and a series of key informant interviews, this paper describes the following:

• Scale and duration of the persistent GAM problem
• Perceived causal pathways
• Methodological challenges in identifying trends
• Implications for current practice and policies
• Implications for future research