Giulia Scarpa

Project: An Exploration of Nutritional Practices, Caloric and Nutrient Intake among Batwa and non-Batwa Mothers and Infants living in south-western Uganda, Kanungu District

Malnutrition is one of the most serious global health concerns, and the risk of being undernourished is exacerbated by the climate change impact on food security, especially severe in Sub-Saharan Africa. Indigenous populations are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events, and the effect of climate change is expected to be severe not only on food security and nutritional intake, but also on individuals’ psychophysical condition. My project will investigate the likely effect of climate change on nutritional and caloric intake, specifically maternal and child nutrition patterns, including breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices. Indeed, the research aims to develop a nutritional intervention protocol in order to reduce malnutrition among infants.