these deficiencies contribute to a vicious cycle of malnutrition reduced development prospects and poverty affecting alreadydisadvantaged groups preventing malnutrition would eventually reduce costs incurred for curative healthcare and social welfare needs while potentially making resources available for needed development activities fao international life sciences institute who a levin strauss et al horton et al thus understanding and addressing malnutrition remain key factors for progressing on the sustainable development goals they are also part of the sdg monitoring framework