University of Navarra awards Professor John C. Waterlow for his research on malnutrition in the Caribbean region

The research of Professor John C. Waterlow on malnutrition in the countries of the Caribbean region has been recognized with the V edition of the International award "Food and Health", which submission the School of Pharmacy of the University of Navarra, with the partnership of the Chair Tomás Pascual Sanz and Caja Rural.

The event coincides with World Food Day, which this year is dedicated to topic "Achieving food security in times of crisis". This challenge is particularly pressing in Latin America and the Caribbean, where hunger and malnutrition affect 53 million people, 10% of the population, and where almost 9 million children under 5 years of age, 16% of the total, suffer from chronic malnutrition or stunting.

In this region, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine professor John C. Waterlow has selflessly investigated the importance of protein input in recovery from the problem. "He pioneered the study of childhood malnutrition and created methods to analyze protein metabolism. He confirmed how protein intake, defined in terms of quantity and amino acid composition, was critical to the recovery of the malnourished. This work was instrumental in advancing treatment in Jamaica and around the world," says Ricardo Uauy, one of the three researchers who received the award on behalf of Waterlow, who was unable to travel for health reasons.

Ricardo Uauy warns that although progress has been made in this area subject in recent years, it could be affected by the recent rise in food prices and the financial crisis, which reduce access to nutrient-rich products, generally more expensive, such as meat, dairy products and eggs.    

One solution proposal by the researchers is the combined intake of foods typical of local diets in the Caribbean region, such as beans with corn or noodles. "A legume plus a cereal manages to supplement the amino acids and the mixture is almost as good as meat," says Uauy.

Malnutrition: economic and social losses

The award to John C. Waterlow also recognizes his work in creating a prolific school of researchers involved in this topic. Indeed, present at the submission were Joe Millward and Alan Jackson, as well as Ricardo Uauy, who are members of his team at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The three researchers participated in a roundtable entitled "The role of proteins in malnutrition", presented by Alfredo Martínez, Full Professor of Nutrition at the University of Navarra and president of award "Food and Health".

In this forum it was stated that malnutrition in the first two years of life leads to permanent disorders such as leave height, lower cognitive development , poor academic performance and mortality, issues that have an impact on lower economic productivity, labor desertion and problems of social inclusion. "Beyond the moral imperative, eradicating the scourge of hunger and malnutrition generates social and economic benefits," said the experts, who cited a study by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, which estimates the losses caused by malnutrition in 13 Latin American countries at US$ 17 billion.

The solution final to the problem, they said, involves an organization that facilitates cooperation between the UN, governments, the private sector and civil society; increased funding; and improved responsiveness to regional challenges, changes in the epidemiological status and periodic crises.   

In the afternoon, Professor Alan Jackson gave a presentation at lecture with the topic "Research by Professor Waterlow". The award was then presented in a ceremony attended by Ricardo Martí Fluxa, President of the Chair Tomás Pascual Sanz; Ricardo Goñi, representative of Caja Rural; and Isabel Martín, Director General of Health of the Government of Navarra. The workshop ended with a few words from the Vice President Alumni of the University of Navarra, María Iraburu.