Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing
We lead WHO’s work on the life course so that every pregnant woman, mother, newborn, child, adolescent, and older person will survive, thrive and enjoy health and well-being.
Publications
Framework to implement a life course approach in practice
This document provides a rationale for operationalizing a life course approach, outlines existing evidence and identifies steps needed to develop evidence-based guidelines to identify and include services for each life stage and to improve overall health trajectories.
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WHO / Y. Shimizu
Older people doing calligraphy and Shakyo at the Popolo Day Care Center. The Popolo Day Care Center service helps older people to stay in their community and function to the fullness of their ability.
Older people doing calligraphy and Shakyo at the Popolo Day Care Center. The Popolo Day Care Center service helps older people to stay in their community and function to the fullness of their ability.
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Credits
Journal articles
Adolescent experiences and exposures: a systematic review of life course outcomes
eClinicalMedicine, Volume 88, 103453
The World Health Organization guideline for non-surgical management of chronic primary low back pain in adults: implications for equitable care and strengthening health systems globally
Global Health Research and Policy, July 2025, vol 10, issue 26, Ageing
Validity of non-traditional measures of obesity compared to total body fat across the life course: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Wiliey, Obesity, Volume26, Issue 6 June 2025 e13894
Related publications
The WHO Framework to implement a life course approach in practice summarizes current evidence to reorient health systems to produce health and well-being,...
4 March 2024
Making older persons visible in the sustainable development goals’ monitoring framework and indicators
In 2015, the world reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable development by endorsing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 SDGs (2030...

9 February 2023
Creating healthy life trajectories: universal health coverage and a life course approach
Technical Brief