CHILDHOOD MALNUTRITION

 Malnutrition in children

India is home to 46.6 million stunted children, a third of world’s total as per Global Nutrition Report 2018. Nearly half of all under-5 child mortality in India is attributable to undernutrition. Any country cannot aim to attain economic and social development goals without addressing the issue of malnutrition. Poor nutrition in the first 1000 days of a child’s life can also lead to stunted growth, which is associated with impaired cognitive ability and reduced school and work performance. Malnutrition in children occurs as a complex interplay among various factors like poverty, maternal health illiteracy, diseases like diarrhoea, home environment, dietary practices, hand washing and other hygiene practices, etc. Low birth weight, episode of diarrhoea within the last 6 months and the presence of developmental delay are often associated with malnutrition in most developing nations including India.

 

Malnutrition in Children Can Be Caused by Poor Quality of Diet

Malnutrition can occur in children of all ages, but young children are the most vulnerable. The World Health Organization has stated that malnutrition is the single most dangerous threat to global public health. They estimate that malnutrition is the underlying cause of 3.1 million child deaths each year and leads to lasting damage for millions of other children.

Malnutrition makes children more vulnerable to severe diseases. Chronic malnutrition or stunting—when children are too short for their age because they have not been adequately nourished, received inadequate care and/or live in unhygienic environments—can leave a devastating and permeant impact on a child’s physical and cognitive capabilities.

Poor Maternal Health Can Also Cause Malnutrition in Children

The largest window of opportunity for a child’s health occurs in the first 1,000 days--from the start of a woman’s pregnancy to her child’s second birthday. Mothers who are malnourished during their pregnancy can experience complications giving birth. Many children are born small because their mothers are undernourished.  Severely malnourished mothers can also have trouble breastfeeding their infants.

The Link Between Socioeconomic Status and Malnutrition in Children

POVERTY is the number one cause of malnutrition in developing countries. Often times, families living in poverty lack access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Many communities do not have full-service grocery stores that regularly stock fresh produce.

Even if they do, fresh fruits and vegetables can be expensive. When fresh fruits and vegetables are out of reach for children, they can fill up on less expensive, less healthy foods.

Chronic malnutrition is becoming concentrated in countries with the fewest resources, where 1 in 3 children have stunted growth. Today, 9 in 10 stunted children, roughly 139 million children, live in low- and lower-middle-income countries.

Chronic malnutrition has also become increasingly concentrated in conflict-affected countries.

Breaking the Cycle of Malnutrition in Children

Breaking the cycle involves working across various programs, not just nutrition programs, but also health, education, water and sanitation, livelihoods and protection.