This book analyzes biological and sociocultural factors that influence nutritional status, physical growth, development and maturation of children and adolescents in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries in the perspective of human ecology. Chapters in this book bring together both theoretical and empirical studies that take into account human biological and environmental conditions to understand how ethnic diversity, culturally determined lifestyle and dietary habits influence biological variation of human growth and nutrition in nine LAC countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru. The book is divided into three sections. Chapters in the first section analyze nutritional and epidemiological aspects of child growth in the region. Articles in the second section focus on methods to evaluate human growth, development, and maturation. Finally, the third section brings together a series of studies representing different LAC countries, analyzing biocultural impacts on child growth and nutrition. By bringing together studies about the relationship between human biology, cultural diversity, nutrition and health in a region with huge environmental challenges, this volume addresses many of the challenges to achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 3 (Good Health and Well-Being). Chapters in this volume present and discuss data on the effects of malnutrition on children's and adolescent's health and development, such as chronic undernutrition or stunting (growth deficit) and excess weight (overweight and obesity) as the risk factors for child morbidity and mortality m due to non-communicable diseases. Human Growth and Nutrition in Latin American and Caribbean Countries will be a valuable resource for both students and researchers in different disciplines dedicated to the interdisciplinary research on the intersection between human biology, cultural diversity, nutrition and health. It will also be a useful source of information for both health professionals and policy makers developing and implementing interventions and public policies to achieve UN’s SDGs 2 and 3, particularly in the LAC regions.

Globalization and Development draws upon the experiences of the Latin American and Caribbean region to provide a multidimensional assessment of the globalization process from the perspective of developing countries. Based on a study by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), this book gives a historical overview of economic development in the region and presents both an economic and noneconomic agenda that addresses disparity, respects diversity, and fosters complementarity among regional, national, and international institutions. For orders originating outside of North America, please visit the World Bank website for a list of distributors and geographic discounts at http://publications.worldbank.org/howtoorder or e-mail [email protected].

Like the First Edition, this book serves as guide to the science and art of community health promotion. The last decade of research and development has considerably advanced the science of achieving and maintaining health. In this new edition, contributing authors from around the world share their experiences and expertise about diverse health promotion and point out areas needing adjustment in community implementation, both on an international and domestic level.

A map of the relationship between work and health that is truly global--both geographically and in its coverage of the impact of work on the health of individuals, families, and societies, has not previously been drawn. Global Inequalities at Work is the first book to fill in the map. Drawing from studies done around the world, it critically examines the many ways in which work is affecting health around the world. The first section covers the wide range of risks--physical, chemical, and social--tot he health of employees in agricultural, industrial, and post-industrial workplaces. Part II provides a detailed analysis of how working conditions can dramatically influence the health and welfare of family members--including children, elderly parents, and the disabled--in both the developing and industrial world. Part III examines the relationships between work and health at the societal level by focusing on two examples: the ways in which working conditions affect income inequalities and health, and the ways in which working conditions influence gender inequalities and health. Part IV investigates the new challenges to and opportunities for improving the relationship between work and health that are presented by a rapidly globalizing economy. Global Inequalities at Work addresses these issues at a time when globalization is both markedly changing the impact of work on the health of individuals, families, and societies, and radically revising what can be done about it. Leaders from universities, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations bring to this edited volume expertise from six continents.

"There is considerable evidence that young children in many developing countries suffer from profound deficits in nutrition, health, fine and gross motor skills, cognitive development, and socio-emotional development. Early childhood development (ECD) outcomes are important markers of the welfare of children. In addition, the deleterious effects of poor outcomes in early childhood can be long-lasting, affecting school attainment, employment, wages, criminality, and measures of social integration of adults. This paper considers the theoretical case to be made for investments in early childhood, selectively reviews the literature on the impact of ECD programs in the United States, discusses the evidence from Latin America and the Caribbean, and makes suggestions for future research. The focus is on the relation between outcomes in early childhood and measures of household socioeconomic status, child health, and parenting practices, as well as on the impact of specific policies and programs. The knowledge base on early childhood outcomes is still thin in Latin America and the Caribbean. There are therefore very high returns to comparative descriptive analysis in the region, as well as to careful evaluations of the impact of various programs. "--World Bank web site.