Child Malnutrition

CHILD MALNUTRITION IS a global problem that exists in developing as well as industrialized countries. In developing countries, poor nutrition contributes to more than half of all childhood deaths. One in three children in Africa is underweight, while half of all children in south Asia are malnourished. Approximately five million children in these developing countries die each year from malnutrition.

Child malnutrition impacts countries well beyond the individual effect it has on the children. Inadequate consumption of food and necessary vitamins and minerals during the developing years can have irreversible effects on a child's physical and mental capacities that consequently contribute to decreased productivity of future generations and of the society as a whole.

Infectious disease is highly associated with malnutrition and can be the cause of this condition, or the result. Families in poverty very often do not have adequate healthcare and live in impoverished areas that lack proper sanitation and clean drinking water. These conditions contribute to malnutrition by creating environments that are conducive to infectious diseases. A lack of essential nutrients breaks down the body's ability to fight off disease. Children, with their immature immune systems, are highly susceptible to these diseases, especially if their bodies are already fragile from lack of nutrition.

While malnutrition often invokes images of underweight children, those who suffer from malnutrition may suffer from obesity. Obesity as a result of malnutrition is often seen in more developed countries such as the United States. The United States is one of the richest countries in the world; however, areas such as the Rio Grande Valley, Central Appalachia, and the Mississippi experience poverty rivaling countries in the developing world. Reliance on cheap food that is high in calories and low in nutrients precipitates malnutrition [Page 147]in poor families in the United States, which can lead to obesity and diabetes in children.

Micronutrient deficiency and protein-energy malnutrition are the two basic types of malnutrition. Micronutrients are trace vitamins and minerals that are essential for health. Deficiencies in the micronutrients vitamin A, iron, and iodine are of great concern for poor people in developing countries. A deficiency of the micronutrient vitamin A can cause night blindness, a reduction in the body's resistance to disease, and growth retardation.

Iron deficiency is a principal cause of anemia and results in a decrease in the amount of red cells in the blood. For children, health consequences of iron deficiency anemia include infections, physical and cognitive development impairment, and elevated risk of premature death.

Iodine deficiency can have devastating effects on a child's health, even before he/she is born. Iodine deficiencies in the mother can result in permanent damage to her child by increasing the risk of congenital abnormalities such as cretinism, a grave, irreversible form of mental retardation.

The second type of malnutrition, protein-energy malnutrition, is the most lethal form of malnutrition and results from inadequate consumption of calories and protein necessary to meet the physical requirements for an active and healthy life. This type of malnutrition affects every fourth child worldwide and is the type normally thought of when one discusses malnutrition. Infants and young children are the most susceptible to protein-energy malnutrition because of their high energy and protein needs.

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