Fundamental changes takes place in the first two years of a child’s life like weight gain, sprout hair, start to walk, communicate and solve problems, cross important milestones like first step, first words, first tooth and so on. By the time the child reaches 2 years old, he/she is already half their adult height and about 20% of their adult weight. The period of greatest vulnerability to nutritional deficiencies is very early in life: the period beginning with the woman’s pregnancy and continuing until the child is 2 years old. During this period, nutritional deficiencies have a significant adverse impact on child’s survival and growth resulting in symptoms of malnutrition.
When we think of malnutrition the first impression that comes to our mind is that of the poverty or famine stricken skinny, pot bellied children with flies swarming around them. When we readily associate malnutrition with poverty what we do not realize is malnutrition is very much existent in the developed countries and affluent societies today due to improper diet and lifestyle. Insufficient protein, energy and micronutrients, frequent infections or disease, poor care and feeding practices, inadequate health services and unsafe water and sanitation can also result in malnutrition.
The social context a mother lives in affects her decision to start and continue breast feeding. Absence of breastfeeding is among the major causes of malnutrition in infants in such affluent societies. Virtually all doctors worldwide recommend exclusive breast feeding for the first four to six months due to its various benefits. Breast milk provides babies who are exclusively breast-fed with antibodies against any diseases to which the mother is immune, decrease the risk of many diseases that appear in childhood and adulthood such as obesity, asthma and heart disease. Compared with cow’s milk, human milk is sterile, at body temperature, with iron, vitamins and other nutrients for body and brain. The specific fats and sugars in breast milk make it more digestible than any other prepared formula.
In today’s fast paced world the growing dependence on fast food which is faster and easier, coupled with soaring rates of binge-drinking, means many are lacking the vitamins and minerals essential for health. Junk food may be loaded with calories but do not add anything to our bodies other than fats and carbohydrates. If you look at the lunch boxes children bring to school you mostly find French fries, cream filled biscuits and packet chips. In such cases of disproportionate nutrition gaps, malnutrition can result in Protein-calorie malnutrition, Vitamin malnutrition, and calcium malnutrition and so on. Read more on Junk food and malnutrition: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-453099/Junk-food-causing-famine-symptoms.html#ixzz1obAjIQDb
Micronutrient malnutrition can result in inappropriate intake of food rich in vitamin (A,B,C,D,E, K) and minerals like Iodine, Iron and Zinc. Young children and pregnant women are most vulnerable to these deficiencies. During pregnancy, deficiency of iron and zinc can produce cognitive and growth impairment of the foetus, which may continue into infancy.
These micronutrient malnutrition dimishes motivation and development of children consequently impairing mental and cognitive abilities. The proportion of the population affected by iodine deficiency is highest in Europe (52 per cent). Read more to know the benefits of vitamins
http://www.livestrong.com/article/420254-vitamins-malnutrition/
Excessive consumption of only one type of food or sustaining on a single source of nutrition can also lead to lack of proportionate nutrition. Coupled with this a sedentary lifestyle and junk food culture in developed countries are among major causes of malnutrition in children and young adults these days, making way for malnutrition diseases like anemia, goiter, kwashiorkor, marasmus, etc. While malnutrition can be fatal, in more mild forms it can cause a host of symptoms that impact on everyday life, from hair loss and muscle wastage to food cravings and lethargy. Simple dietary changes can make significant improvements in the quality of children’s diets. The researchers suggested parents should consider snacks as “mini-meals" and offer healthy options such as fruits, vegetables, low-fat yogurt and whole grain foods.
A publication by UNICEF -Tracking Progress on Child and Maternal Nutrition - provides information on nutrition strategies, progress made by programmes and current challenges, based on the most recent data available. The report profiles 24 countries where 80 per cent of the world’s stunted children live.
UNICEF. 2009. Tracking Progress on Child and Maternal Nutrition: A survival and development priority . Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/publications/index_51656.html
Eating a good, well-balanced diet helps to prevent most forms of malnutrition. Hence, eating wisely and proportionately accompanied by a physically active lifestyle can enhance the well being of our children!
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Hi Deepa,
ReplyDeleteYou posted a lot of useful information. Thanks!
I think malnutrition in developed countries is a public health issue that can be related to people’s income and lifestyle. In addition, I think malnutrition in developed areas can be reduced through information and education. By the way, over the last week I heard in the news that starting March 1, 2012, it is mandatory from the USDA [US Department of Agriculture] that all meat packages and/or meat counters, in USA have a nutrition label, with information like calories, proteins, sodium, and fat; and I consider this is a helpful way to diminish malnutrition.
Hi Deepa
ReplyDeleteI like that you decided to focus on malnutrition from the angle of lack of nutrients versus lack of food. Quite often families allow their children to have limited food choices and this does effect their growth rate and development. I also like how you presented malnutrition as a continuum, since a fetus who does not received adequate nutrition from their mother will most likely be a child who does not received adequate nutrition throughout childhood.
Carolyn
Awesome post, Deepa! Like Carolyn said - i liked how you explore malnutrition from a improper food way as opposed to a lack of food way. This whole post was full of information. I just loved it. If you don't mind i am going to post it to my facebook page.
ReplyDeleteHi Koni, Thanks for the positive feedback. However, i don't know if it is worth posting on your facebook. This post is just tip of the iceberg. I was running out of time and patience when I posted this post. There is a whole lot of information that I wanted to add but did not get to like vitamin D and iodine deficiencies.
DeleteDeepa, good job on your research. I too, like our colleagues, thought of pot belly, flies swarming, bug infested kids when one speaks of malnutrition. Isn’t it difficult to think that a person who has a abundant limited diet can suffer from malnutrition? From my nutrition courses, a simple tip given to people who wanted to improve dietary intake was to simply add color to their diets. Eat fruits and vegetables rich in color like blueberries, strawberries, mango, papaya, carrots, yams, collard, kale and etc. By adding these types of food will increase vitamins, minerals and fiber to a person’s diet. Your post is very informative.
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