Recently, I came across the concept of opportunity cost in nutrition economics essentially, the benefits we give up when choosing one option over another. It opened my eyes to something I used to wonder about: Why do we often prioritize nutrition-sensitive interventions over nutrition-specific ones?At first, it felt like we were giving up something. But with a deeper understanding, it turns out there’s a strategic opportunity cost at play and actually, it’s not a loss at all.Nutrition-sensitive interventions offer a bigger-picture, long-term impact because they target the underlying causes of malnutrition rather than just the immediate symptoms. This means they don’t replace nutrition-specific interventions; rather, they strengthen them by creating an enabling environment where good nutrition becomes possible and sustainable.Here’s why many stakeholders invest heavily in nutrition-sensitive approaches:✔ They address the root causes of malnutrition ✔ They create long-term, sustainable outcomes ✔ They prevent malnutrition before it starts✔ They impact entire communities✔ They align with multi-sectoral strategies✔ They support broader development goalsIn simple terms: Nutrition-sensitive interventions create the conditions that make good nutrition possible, accessible, and sustainable.So yes in terms of opportunity cost, choosing to invest more time and resources in nutrition-sensitive interventions means we’re intentionally prioritizing prevention, sustainability, and systems change. And this is exactly how we build healthier communities over time.