We explain what malnutrition is and what are the consequences of child malnutrition. Also, how to prevent malnutrition.
What is Malnutrition?
Malnutrition refers to a bad feeding, a diet deficient in terms of calories, nutrients, protein, iron and other substances necessary for the body. Malnutrition can also be caused by poor absorption of nutrients due to illness. Malnutrition cases occur more often in underdeveloped countries or in persons that belong to social classes low.
The difference between malnutrition and malnutrition is that malnutrition is produced by a deficiency in the intake of the nutrients that are necessary, while in malnutrition there is a deficiency, an imbalance or excess in the intake of the nutrients that our body needs.
Child malnutrition
Malnutrition in children can begin even in the womb and an extreme case can end in Kwashiorkor (protein insufficiency) or Marasmus (caloric deficit in the diet that causes extreme weakness).
The consequences of child malnutrition, to name a few, are:
- Shorter than normal stature,
- Pallor,
- Thinness,
- Slow intellectual development,
- Greater tendency to contract diseases,
- Greater chances of being obese as adults,
- Anemia and decalcification in women.
The general symptoms that can be seen are fatigue, loss of weight and dizziness.
Other characteristics of children with malnutrition are that they are not animated, tend to cry easily, do not show appetite, among others. Children with these characteristics will become adults with certain physical and mental impairments.
Malnutrition can be detected through analysis of blood and seeing the normal values of height and weight according to the age. There is currently a growth index created by the who which establishes the growth that would be normal for children up to five years of age. Those who follow this pattern have healthy and normal growth.
We speak of chronic malnutrition in infants, children or adolescents when there is a delay in growth that is expected for an age. This type of malnutrition can be moderate or severe, depending on the degree that has been registered. This malnutrition also speaks of a certain socio-economic level, since it is closely linked to poverty.
According to organization The nonprofit, Doctors Without Borders, each year between three and five million children under the age of six die from malnutrition.
How to prevent malnutrition?
Geographically speaking, malnutrition has zones of preference. The regions of the world most affected are Latin America, Africa (excluding South Africa), Middle East, Asia (except Japan and Russia) and the countries of Oceania (minus New Zealand and Australia).
The only way to prevent malnutrition is a good feeding, varied and nutritious. This should include cereals, fruits and vegetables, food of animal origin, such as meat, chicken, eggs, dairy, etc.
When the woman begins a pregnancy, she must be well nourished and accumulate reserves, and while she is pregnant she must try to eat well throughout the day, respecting meal times and making snacks.
As for babies under six months, they should only consume breast milk. Food must be prepared with the highest standards of hygiene possible, having not only clean the instruments to be used, but also the place and the hands that handle food. Finally, pregnant mothers and children should regularly visit a doctor.