Malnutrition, hunger and famine (original) (raw)
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Undernutrition, Ill-health and the Role of the Health System
Introduction: The previous chapters have adequately discussed that undernutrition is a huge and persistent problem in Maharashtra, resistant to half hearted measures. This chapter emphasizes the contribution of undernutrition to morbidity and mortality, the primary concerns of the health care system. Not only does undernutrition play a major role in increased mortality and morbidity in developing countries but the vicious cycle of undernutrition and ill-health reinforce each other. To illustrate, maternal undernutrition results in low weight babies further susceptible to continued growth retardation. Undernourished girls among the children would go on to become undernourished mothers themselves, unless steps are taken to prevent this. At another level, low birth weight babies and undernourished children are more susceptible to infections, and infections and undernutrition reinforce each other. Undernourished adults are also more at risk of infections, particularly well substantiated...
Malnutrition and poverty alleviation*
Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical …, 2002
The aim of the present paper is to understand the relationship between malnutrition and poverty, and how to generate ideas and concepts for developing studies leading to policy and programme implementation in the context of establishing collaborating networks among SouthEast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) centres. Malnutrition is found at all stages of life, from the fetus to older people, in what is considered to be 'nutrition throughout the life cycle'. Low birthweight could become an important indicator of fetal/intrauterine nutrition. The consequences of being born undernourished extend into adulthood. Stunting is an indicator for poverty, it demonstrates early poor nutrition. Malnourished children face terrifying long-term results when they grow to adults, deprived of their full mental and intellectual capacity. The way to break the poverty cycle is to focus on children. Seventy per cent of the world's poor are women, which is considered as a feminization of poverty. Women play an important role in giving birth to the next generation, in food security, and as caregivers for the family. It is therefore important to increase the physical, mental, and intellectual wellbeing of every woman as a good investment for the well-being of future society and a human right. However, the gender issues are rarely openly acknowledged in national antipoverty strategies. Adequate nutrition, healthy ageing, and the ability to function independently are thus essential components of a good quality of life. Food security refers to access at all times to sufficient, nutritionally adequate, and safe food. It is important for healthy and peaceful development. Nutrition policy must be an integral part of health policy, from the national to the grassroots level. The strategy is to focus government, NGOs and community activities on the reduction of poverty, hunger, and malnutrition in developing countries; determine who the poor people are, where they live, why they are poor and how our research could contribute and reduce both poverty and malnutrition.
Food Policy, 1975
The growing field of nutrition planning proceeds on the assumption that nutrition is (or is going to be) taken seriously and that governments will in fact plan to alleviate malnutrition in their societies. Drs Field and Levinson identify three trends that should lead more governments of low income countries to incorporate nutrition planning in their development efforts. They suggest that the issue is essentially one of political commitment. Assuming commitment, the problem typically becomes one of the capacity
Addressing Malnutrition: The Importance of Political Economy Analysis of Power
International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 2020
Background: The exercise of power is central to understanding global health and its policy and governance processes, including how food systems operate and shape population nutrition. However, the issue of power in food systems has been little explored empirically or theoretically to date. In this article, we review previous work on understanding power in addressing malnutrition as part of food systems that could be used in taking this issue further in future food systems research. In particular, we examine why acknowledging power is vital in addressing food systems for better nutritional outcomes, approaches to assessing power in empirical research, and ways of addressing issues of power as they relate to food systems. Methods: We undertook a narrative review and synthesis. This involved identifying relevant articles from searches of PubMed and Scopus, and examining the reference lists of included studies. We considered for inclusion literature written in English and related to countries of all income levels. Data from included articles were summarized under several themes. Results: We highlight the importance of acknowledging power as a critical issue in food systems, present approaches that can be taken by food-systems researchers and practitioners in assessing power to understand the ways in which power works in food systems and wider society, and present material relating to addressing power and developing strategies to improve food systems for better nutrition, health and well-being. Conclusion: A range of research approaches exist that can inform examination of power in food systems, and support the development of strategies to improve food systems for better nutrition, health and well-being. However, there is considerable scope for further work in this under-researched area. We hope that this review will support the necessary research to understand further power in food systems and drive the much-needed transformative change. Keywords: Power, Nutrition, Malnutrition, Double Burden of Malnutrition, Food, Food Systems Copyright: © 2020 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Malnutrition, a Global Problem
2010 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 20 - June 23, 2010, 2010
Malnutrition is a general term for medical conditions caused by an inadequate diet and poor nutrition. Hunger and malnutrition are among the major difficulties confronting many countries around the world. Malnutrition can be caused by several factors, such as the sharp increase in population (current world population is approximately 6,800,000,000), poor distribution of foods, lack of access to highly nutritious foods, and most important, lack of knowledge about healthy diets. Malnutrition can lead to other problems, such as reduced school attendance, learning capacity, spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, and it can have a negative effect on a nation's development. The objectives of this study are: 1) to review the occurrence of global malnutrition, and 2) to discuss potential solutions to this challenging problem. For example, over three billion people are affected with micronutrient malnutrition in the developing world. Lack of micronutrient components such as iodine, zinc, vitamin A and iron can lead to maternal mortality, diseases such as HIV, and other problems. Over 146 million children under five are underweight and children often die because of malnutrition. There are many challenges to overcome malnutrition, and to provide food security for people. UNICEF, WFS and other organizations are trying to help malnourished children by sending food aid, but this is not enough, and there are still many places in which food security does not exist. According to the FAO organization, food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious foods to meet their dietary needs. So, to develop and distribute nutritious, widely available, low cost foods, which can be consumed by many people around the world is of great importance.
IP Journal of Nutrition, Metabolism and Health Science, 2022
Malnutrition keeps on being significant wellbeing trouble in emerging nations. It is universally the main danger factor for ailment and passing, with a huge number of pregnant ladies and small kids especially impacted. Lack of healthy sustenance in created nations is tragically even more normal in circumstances of neediness, social separation, and substance abuse. Lack of healthy sustenance, which is regularly neglected by clinicians, is normal and has wide-running impacts on physiological capacity. It is related to expanded paces of dreariness and mortality in clinic patients and essentially builds medical care costs. Execution of a basic screening device distinguishes patients in danger and permits proper treatment to be founded; this can altogether work on clinical results and decrease medical services consumption.
Nutrition, Disease and Death in Times of Famine
Disasters, 1995
In this article we review the relationship between malnutrition and mortality, and the interaction of morbidity, with the aim of clarifying the health risks of malnutrition in situations of famine and food insecurity. Apart from reviewing what is known about this relationship, we highlight areas where further research is needed. Among refugee and famine affected populations living in camps, there appears to be a close association between high rates of malnutrition and excess mortality. Results from communitybased prospective studies of malnutrition and mortality among individuals conclude that as nutritional status declines the risk of death increases, although the discriminating power of different nutritional indices and the strength of the association varies considerably in different locations and at different times. These differences are attributed mainly to the different prevailing patterns of morbidity and growth failure, which are influenced by both environmental and social factors. In situations of famine and population displacement, the deterioration in the health environment increases exposure to infection and is likely to raise the threshold of nutritional status which corresponds to an increased risk of mortality. This has important implications for nutritional assessments and interventions.