Bio-economic dynamics of malnutrition and obesity in Asia: Framework for SDG-aligned nutrition, inequality, and spatial spillovers

Despite global progress in reducing hunger, malnutrition remains a complex challenge threatening achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being). Malnutrition has evolved from a condition of caloric deficiency to a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by economic accessibility, biological adaptation, and intergenerational transmission of disadvantage. This study examines the bidirectional relationship between economic entitlements and biological outcomes to explain persistence and identify strategic leverage points for SDG acceleration. Using a longitudinal bio-econometric framework (2005–2024) across 180 region-year observations in Asia, we model the human body as a dynamical system responding to economic constraints. Four complementary models aligned with SDG targets are estimated: (1) a Michaelis–Menten biological response function assessing SDG 2.2; (2) a multinomial logit model incorporating a Metabolic Stress Index linking SDG 2 and SDG 3; (3) a distributed lag model capturing intergenerational transmission relevant to SDG 1 and SDG 5; and (4) a spatial autoregressive model examining obesity diffusion under SDG 3.4. Data were sourced from FAOSTAT, WHO, UNICEF, and the World Bank. Caloric intake shows a concave relationship with child growth (half-saturation constant: 1,850 kcal/day, p