Background: Armed conflict creates a biological trap where acute malnutrition and chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) coexist and reinforce one another. Sixty-five percent of the world’s acutely food-insecure individuals live in conflict zones, facing dual burdens such as Gaza’s 150% surge in severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and Sudan’s 43% hypertension prevalence among displaced adults. This nexus is mediated through epigenetic reprogramming, microbiome collapse, and accelerated aging. The objective of this study was to evaluate how biologically, culturally, and life-stage-adapted precision nutrition strategies can address malnutrition and related infectious and NCD risks in conflict-affected populations. Methods: We synthesized literature on conflict-related malnutrition–NCD pathways and applied a precision nutrition framework to four case studies (Gaza, Sudan, Yemen, and Ukraine), emphasizing: • Biological tailoring (eg, micronutrient/gene screening); • Cultural adaptation (eg, moringa-based ready-to-use therapeutic foods RUTF); • Life-stage targeting (eg, prenatal epigenetic interventions). Results: Precision nutrition interventions demonstrated measurable benefits: • In Gaza, RUTF with water purification reduced diarrhea by 40% (95% confidence interval CI: 32%–48%), enhancing SAM recovery. • In Sudan, plant sterol-enriched rations lowered low-density lipoprotein LDL cholesterol by 12% (95% CI: 9%–15%) in famine survivors with cardiovascular risk. • In Yemen, FUT2-guided vitamin A supplementation reduced cholera incidence by 45% (95% CI: 37%–52%). • In Ukraine, a tele-nutrition and dietary approaches to stop hypertension DASH-diet voucher program reduced hypertension crises by 52% (95% CI: 45%–58%). Conclusion: Available evidence supports the potential role of precision nutrition in helping to alleviate the starvation–disease–trauma cycle in conflict-affected populations.
Amr Abdelkader Saber (2026) studied this question.