Thus, infants born to these mothers are of low birth weight, are unable to reach their full growth potential and may therefore be stunted, susceptible to infections, illness, and mortality early in life. The cycle is aggravated when low birth weight females grow into malnourished children and adults, and are therefore more likely to give birth to infants of low birth weight as well [ 9 ]. Malnutrition is not just a health issue but also affects the global burden of malnutrition socially, economically, developmentally and medically, affecting individuals, their families and communities with serious and long lasting consequences [ 1 ].
Studies in Sudan, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Haiti have indicated that the causes of malnutrition are multi-faceted, with both environmental and dietary factors contributing to malnutrition risk in young children [ 12 ]. Diet and disease have been identified as primary immediate determinants; with household food security, access to health facilities, healthy environment, and childcare practices influenced by socio-economic conditions [ 13 ].
These studies have suggested that nutrition education for the mother is important, as it is a resource that mothers can utilize for better care of their children. It can also provide the necessary skills required for childcare, improvement of her feeding practices, enable her to make choices and have preference of health facilities available, increase her nutritional needs awareness, and give her the chance of changing her beliefs regarding medicine and disease [ 16 ].
These interventions have positively influenced the development, growth and survival of children [ 18 ]. Malnutrition is not a uniform condition and therefore groups and areas that experience high risk of malnutrition must be identified and targeted interventions available to assist [ 17 ].
To determine both over and undernutrition, assessment of the nutritional status is important. This identifies those individuals who are vulnerable and at risk, and how to guide a response [ 19 ]. In determining the nutritional status of a child, it must be referenced in comparison to a healthy child [ 20 ]. Most of the anthropometric indices are used with reference tables such as that of the National Center for Health Statistics NCHS and the currently widely recommended and used WHO child growth standards [ 21 ].
In expressing anthropometric indices relative to a reference population, the measurements are developed using the median and standard deviations of the reference populations, which are known as Z scores [ 22 , 23 , 24 ]. Thus, the Z score is calculated as follows:. As previously mentioned malnutrition consists of both over and undernutrition Table 1. Undernutrition does not only affect the health of individuals but impacts greatly on the growth of the economy and productivity, as well as the eradication of poverty.
To support their growth and development, infants and young children have increased nutritional needs and therefore are most affected by undernutrition [ 27 , 28 ].
Prolonged malnourished status in children can lead to the development of motor function and physical growth delays, lack of social skills, and low infection resistance, thus making them susceptible to common ailments and infections [ 28 , 29 ]. Additionally, due to frequent infection, susceptible children become engaged in a negative cycle whereby infections lead to growth delays and their learning abilities are hindered, and infections in malnourished children may lead to childhood mortality [ 30 ].
Undernutrition is subdivided into two categories that include micronutrient malnutrition and growth failure. To differentiate between acute or chronic malnutrition, the nutritional status of an individual is assessed by using anthropometry [ 27 ].
According to Zere and McIntyre [ 31 ], anthropometry is advantageous over biochemical evaluation, as it is less invasive and cost effective; hence, in addressing child survival nutritional status anthropometry is one of the favored predictors [ 32 ]. While the body may first attempt to utilize the nutrients to meet the energy demands, if there is insufficient intake of energy then the consumed protein is used to meet the energy demands and does not address the functions of the protein in the body, hence leading to PEM.
While PEM requires the measuring of growth parameters such as height and weight as it is not immediately obvious, in severe PEM children present with marasmus and kwashiorkor [ 33 , 34 ]. Marasmus is characterized by a lack of protein and energy in the diet, while an inadequate intake of protein causes kwashiorkor. In kwashiorkor, a child does not necessarily appear as undernourished but there is the presence of oedema.
The children present with hair that is discolored and skin that is shiny and very tight. A common presentation of PEM in children is underweight. This can be accompanied by a decline in linear height [ 38 ]. While the children may present with normal body proportions such as weight to height ratios, they will be undersized and underweight [ 39 ]. Through regular monitoring of growth indices such as height and weight, underweight can be identified at an early stage [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ].
In , 99 million children less than 5 years of age were underweight. Of this figure, one third of the children were from Africa and two-thirds present in Asia. An estimated In adolescent girls the underweight prevalence increased from 5. Stunting is a major public health concern that begins in intrauterine life although children are only classified as stunted at approximately age 2 years. The detrimental effects of stunting include intrauterine growth retardation, as well as inadequate nutrition required for growth and development of children [ 41 ].
High frequency of infection and decreased disease resistance such as diarrhea and pneumonia are influenced by stunting. Malnutrition impacts one in every three people globally. Forty-five per cent of all deaths in young children can be attributed to poor nutrition. Without good nutrition, neither people nor societies can reach their full potential. The cycle of poverty and inequality continues within families, communities and countries. Of those with chronic hunger, 60 per cent are women and girls.
Yet progress is insufficient to meet targets. The impact of malnutrition continues to be especially acute in fragile contexts and for those affected by violent conflict.
Already, one in five deaths globally is associate with poor diet. This article gives you the facts about malnutrition, its causes and effects. What is malnutrition? What are the types of malnutrition? Who is most vulnerable to malnutrition? How extensive is malnutrition, globally? How is malnutrition diagnosed? What can be done to address malnutrition?
What can be done to prevent malnutrition? How does malnutrition impact societies? You may associate the condition with stories you see on the news during food crises in developing countries. But the term can also apply to people who are overnourished. This article focuses on situations that occur when a person lacks the right food and essential nutrients. As of December , an estimated 1. Photo: Suzy Sainovsky 2. Action Against Hunger works not only to treat acutely malnourished children through a community-based approach, but also to improve child survival and prevent undernutrition by addressing its underlying causes.
Our technical expertise is internationally renowned, due to our 40 years of operational experience in countries with the highest burdens of hunger and to our contributions to developing revolutionary nutrition products and field testing treatment protocols that have become international best practice. We aim to increase the number of children worldwide who are screened and treated for undernutrition and to build the capacity of local health systems to treat undernutrition.
We are committed to research, partnerships, and learning that will allow us to continually improve policy and practice to help achieve the global goal of ending undernutrition in all its forms by Action Against Hunger is leading a global movement to end hunger in our lifetimes.
It innovates solutions, advocates for change, and reaches 25 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 50 countries, its 8, dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies.
It strives to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good. With the generous support of people like you, our emergency teams are helping save lives, providing lifesaving treatment to malnourished children and delivering urgent food and water.
Together, we can take urgent action to prevent children from sliding even deeper into tragedy. Now is the time to act and help children survive. World Hunger: Key Facts and Statistics What is hunger? Here are some widely accepted definitions of key terms: Hunger is the distress associated with lack of food. Despite the magnitude of malnutrition, some children continue to go unnoticed because of where they live or the circumstances in which they were born.
The odds of a child surviving depend on factors such as whether the child is living in a rural area or if the child belongs to a disadvantaged ethnic group. Children who are disabled or affected by war are disadvantaged when it comes to the aid they receive. The Save the Children report explains that although overall progress is being made in reducing the number of under-5 childhood deaths, this change is mostly attributed to the progress being made in more privileged groups of children.
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