Viewpoint: childhood undernutrition: a failing global priority.

Undernutrition remains a significant underlying cause of death among children worldwide. Although alleviating hunger is part of the first United Nation's Millennium Development Goal and a declared global priority, undernutrition continues to be prevalent in low-income and middle-income countries throughout the world. The authors review the problem and policies and recommend how, particularly in this time of global economic difficulties, to improve policies to prevent undernutrition. They advocate even greater urgency.