The Situation Today
Think about the food that you have eaten today and the food you refused to eat because its "gross". Many of us are very fortunate to have healthy food options to purchase in stores and receive in school but yet we don't appreciate these options as much as those that don't have these opportunities and suffer from malnutrition. Hundreds of thousands of children worldwide suffer from malnutrition. Nearly half of all deaths in children under 5 are do to under nutrition. This translates into the loss of about 3 million young lives a year. Under nutrition puts children at greater risk of dying from common infections, increases the frequency and severity of such infections, and contributes to delayed recovery. In addition, the interaction between under nutrition and infection can create a lethal cycle of worsening illness and delaying nutritional status. Poor nutrition in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life can also lead to stunted growth. The most widespread nutritional deficiency worldwide is iron deficiency, which can result in anemia. A lack of vitamin A is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children. Vitamin B9, often referred to as folate, helps the body create red blood cells and produce DNA, and also aids in brain development and nervous system functioning. Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones and helps the body maintain the right levels of calcium in order to regulate the development of teeth and bones. A lack of this nutrient can lead to stunted or defective bone growth. Osteoporosis, caused by a lack of calcium and vitamin D, can lead to porous and fragile bones that break very easily. The list goes on and on of different diseases and different deficiencies caused by lack of nutrients, vitamins, proteins, etc. Most of these malnutrition problems are currently happening in many parts of Africa, Asia, Central American countries, and also South American Countries. Many people will think that this is not a problem, that these children are already getting necessary help and we don't need to do anything, but on the contrary there are still thousands of children suffering and dying from malnutrition. |
|
Press the button below to start a quiz or visit the following website- https://www.onlinequizcreator.com/malnutrition/quiz-91141