This is the first annual report from leading NGO, Action Against Hunger. It presents an accessible jargon free account of the causes and consequences of acute malnutrition around the world. It is the most up to date account which will be valuable to journalists, policy makers and anyone working in international development. The report assesses the problem of acute malnutrition from the ground up. Beginning with the immediate causes of hunger (inadequate dietary intake and disease) it progresses to study the larger structural and social factors that perpetuate it. Case studies include the impact of HIV/AIDS, conflict, weak markets, mortality and malnutrition. This analysis draws on 450 surveys undertaken by Action Against Hunger, presenting maps and graphs to give a comprehensive global overview of malnutrition. The report recommends that a shift in traditional emergency objectives needs to be considered as part of a holistic approach to persistent hunger.