Western Sydney University integral to a new global framework putting youth at the centre of adolescent nutrition

A Western Sydney University researcher has played a central role in the development of a new global framework designed to transform how the world invests in and protects adolescent nutrition, launched this week by the Global Adolescent Nutrition Network (GANN), which is hosted by the Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN).

The global framework, published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health, places young people at the centre of nutrition action and is the first of its kind to be co‑created with adolescents. Dr Catharine Fleming from the University’s School of Medicine co‑led the research alongside the Emergency Nutrition Network, with Western Sydney University the only Australian university involved in the international collaboration.

Developed in partnership with young people from Act4Food and experts from organisations including Nutrition International, GAIN, UNICEF, the Uganda Ministry of Health, Sight and Life, University of Southampton, Save the Children US and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and coordinated by ENN, the framework responds to a growing global crisis in adolescent malnutrition by focusing on actionable solutions rather than policy intent alone.

With Australian adolescents navigating increasingly complex food environments and consuming a high proportion of nutrient‑poor foods, Dr Fleming said the research highlights adolescence as a critical yet often overlooked window for nutrition action.

“Adolescence is a critical period for growth, development and lifelong health, yet young people have often been overlooked in nutrition policy and investment,” said Dr Fleming.

“By co-creating this framework with youth partners and international nutrition experts, we have ensured that the recommendations are not only scientifically robust but also relevant and empowering for the young people they are designed to serve.”

Globally, adolescents face a “triple burden” of malnutrition, including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and obesity. Despite this, adolescent nutrition has frequently remained on the margins of global health commitments, research and programming.

The new framework addresses this gap by deploying an integrated Knowledge Translation (iKT) approach, drawing on stakeholder workshops and surveys with youth partners and global experts. It provides clear, practical guidance across four key levels: adolescents themselves; households, schools and communities; national systems; and global systems and planetary health.

"The evidence has long been clear that adolescence is a pivotal time for nutritional intervention, yet policy and programming have lagged behind," said Natasha Lelijveld, Senior Technical Associate at ENN and senior author of the framework.

"What makes this framework unique is that it moves beyond theory. By co-creating this with youth partners, we have ensured that the recommendations are not only scientifically robust but also relevant and empowering for the young people they are designed to serve. This is about enabling agency and driving responsive change."

Designed to be adaptable across diverse contexts, the framework supports the work of governments, donors, UN agencies, NGOs, researchers and youth advocates, helping to align efforts and prioritise investment so adolescent nutrition is no longer treated as an afterthought in global health strategies.

The full framework and accompanying paper are available to download, here. Implementation guidance and case examples to be released in 2027.

ENDS.

14 April 2026
Photo credit: Yu Hosoi via Unsplash
Media Unit