Nutrition and Malnutrition
West and East
North and South
Every continent
Every country
Dissension
Food and water are quintessential for life sustenance. In the western world, water is so cheap that it has been stripped off its value, and people have difficulties fathoming the devastating effects of lack of water and safe drinking water. On the other hand, food is also a problem in western societies due to their inherent inequalities. For the majority, westerners have access to water but may encounter hardships buying food and having access to nutritious food.
While pregnant, women know how being well fed matters for the child they are bearing, and having access to enough calories coming from a variety of sources must be a priority. When food is lacking, the fetus will use the available amount of food to optimally continue to develop the brain to the detriment of other body parts of lesser survival significance such as legs and arms. Expecting mothers who receive adequate nutrition have a better chance to give birth to healthy babies and to be able to breastfeed their babies. In the first few months of infants’ lives, breast milk shields them from nasty infections and diarrhea; hence, the importance of breastfeeding in general and particularly in developing countries. In Mali, infants’ mortality from diseases had decreased 30% from 1987 to 1996 because for at least the first 4 months of their lives mothers breastfed them. Also, infants started to eat solid food at 6 months which allowed them to fight diarrhea (PubMed, 1997). It is fascinating that food and water, two trivial elements in the western world, are the causes for such catastrophes in developing countries.
According to the Pediatrics (1997), there has been an increase in obesity among American children 4 to 5 years old and it is suggested that measures preventing obesity be taken as early as preschool. Surely, young children have also become more sedentary but something needs to be done in the quality of food that children ingest. At Parklawn Elementary School Alexandria, Virginia, First Lady Michelle Obama (The White House) made clear the benefits of launching school lunch standards; nutritious food to support children’s academic efforts and also to support children for whom lunch might be the only meal of the day.
With this information in mind and with much respect for parents’ cultural values, it is necessary that (my school) schools develop and practice healthy food habits. Networking with the community might bring solutions to raise funds toward nutritious lunch meals and snacks. I am looking forward to work on the school and community project that will look for creative answers to resolve diet and health issues. Food for thought!
References
Alisha Wilson. Why Breastfeeding is a Natural Shield Against Illness for Your Baby. Feb.3, 2007. Retrieved from: http://voices.yahoo.com/why-breastfeeding-natural-shield-against-illness-184582.html
PubMed. US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. Malnutrition in Mali: a major concern for child health.News/Macro/Syst/Inst/Resour/Dev/Demogr/Health/Surv.1997;9(1):3-4. Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12292676
Pediatrics. Prevalence of Overweight Among Preschool Children in the United States, 1971 Through 1994”. Vol. 99 No. 4 April 1, 1997. pp. e1 (doi: 10.1542/peds.99.4.e1)
The White House. Remarks by the First Lady in School Lunch Standards Announcement. Office of the Press Secretary. January 25, 2012
Malnutrtion would take many lives in the next century. As economy weakens loss of incomes from jobs and other sources, we will see an increase in starvation,we are in need of programs that will be funded through government agencies to ensure the nutritomal requirements of human lives that are not able to feed themselves.
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