Malnutrition

Malnutrition is one of the prime causes of low birth weight babies (LBW) and poor growth. LBW survivors are likely to suffer growth retardation and illness throughout childhood, adolescence and into adulthood, and growth retarded adult women are likely to carry on the vicious cycle of malnutrition by giving birth to LBW babies. Links between malnutrition in early life – including the period of foetal growth – and the development latter in life of chronic health conditions such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure are also emerging. Some 30 million infants are born each year in developing countries with impaired growth due to poor nutrition in the womb.

Malnutrition in the form of deficiencies of essential vitamins and minerals continues to cause severe illness or death of millions of people worldwide. More than 3.5 billion people are affected by iron deficiency, 2 billion people are at risk of iodine deficiency and 200 million pre-school children are affected by insufficient vitamin A. Iron deficiency can result in growth retardation, low resistance to disease, long-term impairment in mental and motor development and impaired reproductive functions; it contributes to approximately 20% of pregnancy-related deaths. Iodine deficiency may cause permanent brain damage, mental retardation, reproductive failure, decreased child survival and goitre. In an expectant mother, iodine deficiency can produce varying degrees of mental retardation in her infant. Vitamin A deficiency can result in blindness or death among children; it contributes to decreased physical growth and impaired resistance to infections, with consequent increased mortality in young children.

Even mild forms of these deficiencies can limit a child’s development and learning capacity early in life, which can lead to cumulative deficits in school performance, resulting in higher school dropout rates and a high burden of illiteracy in our future populations. Many of the most severe health consequences of these three leading micronutrient deficiencies could be greatly alleviated by ensuring adequate food supplies and varied diets that provide essential vitamins and minerals.

In many countries, health problems related to dietary excess are an ever-increasing threat. Obesity in childhood and adolescence is associated with various health problems, and its persistence into adulthood leads to health effects ranging from an increased risk of premature death to several non-fatal but debilitating conditions that affect productivity. These emerging problems are not just limited to developed populations; an increasing number of developing countries are confronted with the double burden of undernutrition and chronic diet-related disease. In addition, food contamination from microbial agents, heavy metals and insecticides is a barrier to nutrition improvement in every country of the world. Food-borne diseases are common in many countries, and children are frequent victims, experiencing diarrhoea leading to underweight and wasting, and high levels of child mortality.

Whether in their mildest or most severe form, the consequences of poor nutrition and health result in a reduction in overall well-being and quality of life, and in the levels of development of human potential. Malnutrition can result in productivity and economic losses, as adults afflicted by nutritional and related disorders are unable to work; education losses, as children are too weakened or sickly to attend school or to learn properly; healthcare costs of caring for those suffering from nutrition-related illnesses; costs to society of caring for those who are disabled and in certain circumstances, their families as well.

Source: Adapted from Feeding Minds, Fighting Hunger.