Africa is confronted with the triple burden of malnutrition; it is also faced with the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment. In many African countries, large proportions of the population rely on agriculture not only for their food - but also for their livelihoods. A transformed agricultural and food system is thus a necessary condition for addressing this double-triple challenge. Additionally, post harvest and food waste and losses reduce the availability of sufficient quantities of safe, edible and preferable foods. At least one third of food produced at farm level is lost due to inappropriate storage, infrastructure and agro-processing technologies in developing countries; and one third of food purchased is wasted at household and retail level.

The relationship between nutrition and behaviour is bi-directional in nature, with nutritional factors able to affect activity and disposition, and behavior impacting diet and food intake. This book reviews these links, starting with their complex neurobiological basis, such as in the case of folate deficiency and cognitive decline. It also illustrates how behaviour may determine nutritional choices or status through peer modelling and poor dietary habits. Micronutrients and eating disorders are then critically addressed, with a review of current research methods and results, before extra-nutritional influencers on behaviour such as caffeine, herbal supplements and alcohol are discussed in the final section.