ABSTRACT
The nutritional problems of women and consequences for them are of increasing concern. Women's low status relative to men and their biological role in reproduction often puts them at higher risk than men for many nutritional problems. A major underlying cause of malnutrition is poverty, and it is within settings of poverty that the social vulnerability of females increases the risk for nutritional problems. Adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable to social pressure about body image, and this may lead to eating disorders that can have severe and sometimes irreversible nutritional consequences. Although the social position of women rises with age in some cultures, many older women may become more socially vulnerable as they become marginalized. The goal of improving women's nutrition will only be accomplished by working with women and their communities to define and act upon meeting their nutritional needs.
