Malnutrition
Image: A child with a distended stomach, a sure sign of malnutrition
The definition of malnutrition can be constituted as a condition that occurs when your body suffers from a lack of nutrients. Although malnutrition is most commonly associated with a lack of food, it can also occur in a situation where there is an over-abundance of food. Malnutrition has multiple effects on the physical health of someone. Just to name a few, It can stunt growth, reduce IQ levels, and can cause an overall feeling of weakness and lethargy in the body due to the lack of nutrients.
“A malnourished person finds that their body has difficulty doing normal things such as growing and resisting disease. Physical work becomes problematic and even learning abilities can be diminished. For women, pregnancy becomes risky and they cannot be sure of producing nourishing breast milk.”
- World Food Programme
Who is at Risk of Being Malnourished?
Image: A malnourished child in Africa
People who are at the highest risk of being malnourished are the poor, women, and children. The poor are the most prone to suffering from malnutrition because they do not have enough money to buy food that has a variety of different nutrients. In many cases, the poor are stuck consuming the same basic staples everyday, with little or no variations. Fruits and vegetables are barely consumed, and carbohydrates in the form of rice, tapioca and potatoes just to name a few, are percieved to be more important because of the energy levels they provide.
Women are at risk of being malnourished as well. Even though most of the world's food is produced by women working in the agricultural sector, they barely get the chance to consume much of it. It all boils down to gender-based stereotypes. Most poverty-stricken countries are run by patriarchial societies, where men have more power and are considered to be more important compared to women. Typical gender-based stereotypes have proven to be widely followed, with most women being delegated the jobs of cooking, cleaning, raising the children, and doing farmwork. In their concern for their families' well-being, women tend to neglect their own health, and often either have the smallest portion of food or have none at all for the sake of their families.
Children are another group that is at high risk of suffering from malnutrition. The effects of malnutrition take a toll on the child's health even before it is born. A malnourished mother usually results in a baby that is underweight and under-developed. Malnutrition often goes on to continue to affect the growth and development of the child. Being malnourished at an early age can cause stunting; approximately 147 million pre-schoolers in developing countries worldwide have smaller bodies than they should because they are not able to consume an adequate amount of essential vitamins and minerals. Another problem that malnourished children face is mental retardation and brain damage. Research found by the World Food Programme has shown that a lack of iodine, found in seafood, dairy products, and fruits and vegetables, is the world's single largest cause of brain damage and mental retardation in children.
Women are at risk of being malnourished as well. Even though most of the world's food is produced by women working in the agricultural sector, they barely get the chance to consume much of it. It all boils down to gender-based stereotypes. Most poverty-stricken countries are run by patriarchial societies, where men have more power and are considered to be more important compared to women. Typical gender-based stereotypes have proven to be widely followed, with most women being delegated the jobs of cooking, cleaning, raising the children, and doing farmwork. In their concern for their families' well-being, women tend to neglect their own health, and often either have the smallest portion of food or have none at all for the sake of their families.
Children are another group that is at high risk of suffering from malnutrition. The effects of malnutrition take a toll on the child's health even before it is born. A malnourished mother usually results in a baby that is underweight and under-developed. Malnutrition often goes on to continue to affect the growth and development of the child. Being malnourished at an early age can cause stunting; approximately 147 million pre-schoolers in developing countries worldwide have smaller bodies than they should because they are not able to consume an adequate amount of essential vitamins and minerals. Another problem that malnourished children face is mental retardation and brain damage. Research found by the World Food Programme has shown that a lack of iodine, found in seafood, dairy products, and fruits and vegetables, is the world's single largest cause of brain damage and mental retardation in children.
Why is Malnutrition Prevalent in Developing Countries?
Image: 2009 World Hunger Map
Malnutrition is prevalent in developing countries because of two reasons. The first is because most people in developing countries cannot afford to purchase a variety of different foods that provide vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetables, which are some of the top providers of essential vitamins and minerals are much more costlier than carbohydrates, making them overlooked during a trip to the market. Another reason as to why malnutrition is prevalent in developing countries is because people just do not have access to a source of rich and diverse food. Some countries do not have strong trading ties with the rest of the international community and some communities are just so isolated, that it seems to be almost impossible to import different kinds of food that can be sold at an affordable price.
Photo Credits:
"2009 Hunger Map." Map. World Food Programme. Web. <http://documents.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/liaison_offices/wfp185786.jpg>. Acutely Malnourished Child. Digital image. Web. <http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4jj5Bi0l2z8/S88SELVjuBI/AAAAAAAAAAM/GziKnlWH3Sg/s1600/70_acute_malnutrition_koukou_camp_jpg.jpg>. Malnourished Child. Digital image. Web. <http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ylW__K6sKQg/T3elQ5xyVvI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/ADfDoSeMmeM/s1600/malnourished.jpg>. Malnourished Child with Distended Stomach. Digital image. Web. <http://nutritionwonderland.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/malnutrition.jpg>. |