Update of the Nutritional Situation in the Benin Republic

Background: Nutrition is a major determinant of health and an essential factor in the development of countries. Faced with food insecurity and malnutrition, Benin has implemented policies and programs aiming to reduce the progression of this burden. 

Aims: To take inventory of nutritional status and interventions implemented to reduce the prevalence of different forms of malnutrition and food insecurity in Benin. 

Methods: A review of nutritional and food data available at national level and consultation of intervention management reports was carried out from May to July 2020 and then, the data were compiled and structured.  

Results: Even though Benin has natural resources and remarkable biodiversity, the country faces a double nutritional burden marked by undernutrition: stunting (32%), anemia (71.5%), underweight (17%), wasting (5%) in children under 5 years, exclusive breastfeeding rate (42%) and over-nutrition: obesity (7.4%), diabetes (12.4%) in adults. Food insecurity remains persistent in 9.6% of households and undernourishment concerns 7.4%. The main interventions at community level are made by the National Integrated School Feeding Program and the Coordinated Early Childhood Nutrition and Development Project. In addition, are the implementation of essential nutrition actions and nutrition-sensitive interventions involving different sectors such as, non-governmental organizations and technical and financial partners. 

Conclusion: Food and nutrition situation in Benin has been slightly improved thanks to the implementation of multisectoral coordination of interventions. Nonetheless, many challenges remain to be addressed, including the scaling up of successful interventions and advocacy for a substantial mobilization of resources in order to achieve global nutrition targets and sustainable development goals.

Keywords

Nutritional Status Malnutrition (Double Burden of Malnutrition) Growth Disorders (Stunting) Anemia, Iron-Deficiency Benin
  • Waliou Amoussa Hounkpatin
    Ecole de Nutrition et des Sciences et Technologies Alimentaires (ENSTA)/Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques (FSA)/ Université d’Abomey-calavi (UAC)
  • Carmelle Mizehoun-Adissoda
    Ecole de Nutrition et Diététique/ Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université d’Abomey-calavi (UAC)
  • Jaurès Lokonon
    Ecole de Nutrition et des Sciences et Technologies Alimentaires (ENSTA)/Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques (FSA)/ Université d’Abomey-calavi (UAC)
  • Ulbad Polycarpe Tougan
    Open Distance Training Programs (FOAD) in Agronomical Sciences of the University of Parakou
  • Jean Luc Satchi Gbondje
    Ecole de Nutrition et des Sciences et Technologies Alimentaires (ENSTA)/Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques (FSA)/ Université d’Abomey-calavi (UAC)
  • Gloria Padonou
    Ecole de Nutrition et des Sciences et Technologies Alimentaires (ENSTA)/Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques (FSA)/ Université d’Abomey-calavi (UAC)
  • Andréa Houindote
    Secretariat Permanent du Conseil de l’Alimentation et de la Nutrition (SP-CAN)
  • Ecole de Nutrition et des Sciences et Technologies Alimentaires (ENSTA)/Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques (FSA)/ Université d’Abomey-calavi (UAC)

How to Cite

Hounkpatin, W. A. ., Mizehoun-Adissoda, C. ., Lokonon, J. ., Tougan, U. P. ., Gbondje, J. L. S. ., Padonou, G. ., Houindote, A. ., & Bodjrenou, S. . (2021). Update of the Nutritional Situation in the Benin Republic. The North African Journal of Food and Nutrition Research, 4(9), S116-S123. https://doi.org/10.51745/najfnr.4.9.S116-S123

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