In many developing and emerging societies, the coexistence of malnutrition and obesity is becoming increasingly prevalent. Caused by a rapid change in terms of economic growth and increased availability of food, the main challenge of this nutrition transition is the balance between short-term benefits and long-term risks of increased metabolic diseases. The publication at hand starts with an epidemiological overview, including regional case studies from India, China and Africa. This is followed by an in-depth evaluation of the phenomenon, focussing on the origin and prevalence of malnutrition and its link to ob