Question

how do the following factors contribute to malnutrition; poverty,lack of education, disease and environmental factors. how can food assistance programs help alleviate these issues?

Answer 1

AS PER WHO MALNUTRITION REFERS TO DEFICIENCIES , EXCESS OR IMBALANCES IN A PERSON INTAKE OF ENERGY AND / OR NUTRIENTS.

IT COVERS TWO WIDE GROUP OF CONDITION

• UNDERNUTRITION - WHICH INCLUDES STUNNING ,MEANING LOW HEIGHT FOR AGE ,WASTING - LOW WEIGHT FOR HEIGHT, UNDER WEIGHT - LOW WEIGHT FOR AGE OR MICRONUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES- LACK OF IMPORTANT VITAMINS AND MINERALS

CAUSES OF MALNUTRITION

• POVERTY
• DYSPHAGIA
• LACK OF EXERCISE AND OUTDOOR GAMES
• LACK OF EDUCATION
• NO HEALH CECKUP
• LACK OF ADEQUATE SLEEP
• INDIGESTABLE AND HARMFULL DIET
• LACK OF BALANCE DIET
• DIARRHEA , NAUSEA , VOMITING
• DRUG OR ALCOHOL ABUSE
• LACK OF KNOWLEDGE
• PREMATURE BABIES

​​​​​​​EFFECTS OF MALNUTRITION

• RESPIRATORY FAILURES
• EXTREME LOSS OF ADIPOSE TISSUE
• DEPRESSION
• ALOPECIA
• DELAYED WOUND HEALING
• EXTREMELY DRY SKIN

​​​​​​​GOVT. PROGRAMS FOR SUPPLEMENTARY NUTRITION

THE ISSUE OF MALNUTRITION IS VERY BIG ISSUE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES LIKE INDIA etc. the programes OF INDIAN GOVERNMENT TO ALLEVIATE ISSUES ARE

• INTEGRATED CHILD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ( ICDS) SCHEME

​​​​​​​TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCES AND THE AVERAGE DAILY INTAKE (ADI).SUPPLEMENTARY NUTRITION GIVEN TO THE CHILDREN ( 6 MONTHS -- 6 YEARS) AND PREGNANT AND LACTATING MOTHERS UNDER THE ICDS SCHEME.

• INDIRA GANDHI MATRITVA SAHYOG YOJANA ( IGMSY)--- CONDITIONAL MATERNITY BENEFIT

​​​​​​​

JANANI SURAKSHA YOJANA (JSY) --- ANTENATAL CARE, COUNCELLING , IRON SUPPLEMENTATION , IMMUNISATION , TRANSPORTATION FOR INSTITUTIONAL DELIVERY, POSTNATAL CARE , COUNCELLING FOR BREAST FEEDING AND SPACING OF CHILDREN etc.​​​​​​​

• MID DAY MEAL PROGRAM (MDM) -- HOT COOKED MEAL TO CHILDREN ATTENDING SCHOOL ( 6 YEARS TO 14 YEARS)

• SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN (SSA)--- SUPPORT KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION ON NUTRITION BY INCLUSION OF NUTRITION RELATED TOPICS IN SYLLABUS AND CURRICULUM FOR FORMAL EDUCATION , SCHOOL HEALTH CHECK UP, MID DAY MEAL.

GENERALLYPOVERTY AFFECTS HEALTH BEHAVIOUR AND HEALTH OUTCOMES IN MANY WAYS. INCOME DEPRIVIATION WORKS IN MANY WAYS TO PROPAGATE THE POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES IN POPULATION. ROOT CAUSE OF ILL HEALTH BECAUSE OF LACK OF ACCESS TO RESOURCES , MEDICAL FACILITIES AND LACK OF ADEQUATE NUTRITION.LOW INCOME HAS BEEN INVERSELY RELATED TO THE HEALTH OF INDIVIDUALS eg-- prevalance of anemia and low body weight in children.

ATUDIES FROM ENVIRONMENTAL STAND POINT ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE LITRATURE ON POVERTY AND HEALTH. POOR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE MORE VULNERABLE TO ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION AND HENCE PEOPLE SUFFER ON ACCOUNT OF POLLUTED AIR AND WATER SUPPLY. THE PROCESS OF DUMPING WASTE , INCLUDING HAZARDOUS AND NUCLEAR WASTE IN THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IS CONCENTRATED IN LOW INCOME AREAS OF THE CITIES. POVERTY ALSO RENDERS PEOPLE VULNERABLE TO EXPOSURE TO SUCH WASTE AND SERIOUS ILLNESS .POOR ALSO DEPEND ON FUEL WOOD AND COW DUNG CAKES FOR COOKIN etc.

EDUCATED PEOPLE ALSO CONSUME HEALTHIER FOOD AND HAVE HEALTHIER ROUTINES.MORE EDUCATED PEOPLE EARN BETTER INCOME AND HENCE CAN AFFORD BETTE MEDICAL CARE AND BETTER FOOD.IT COMES TO LITERACY AND HEALTH ,ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT RELATIONSHIP IS THAT OF MATERNAL EDUCATION AND CHILD HEALTH AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS.

NUTRITION IS THE INTAKE OF FOOD , CONSIDERD IN RELATION TO THE BODY'S DIETARY NEEDS MALNUTRITION LEEDS TO REDUCED IMMUNITY , INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITYTO DISEASE , IMPAIRED PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEVELOPMENT AND REDUCED PRODUCTIVITY.IMBALANCE IN THE NIUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF THE DIET IS LABELLED AS MALNUTRITION.UNDER NOURISHED PERSON GET FATIGUED EASILY AND SHOW SIGNS OF PSYCOLOGICAL DISTRESS LIKE STRESS ,LACK OF CONCENTRATION MENTAL APATHY DEPRESSION AND LOW MOTIVATIONAL LEVELS.

MALNUTRITION HAS SEVERE REPERCUSSIONS IN CHILDREN.ACCORDING TO UN's STANDING COMMITTEE ON NUTRITION , MALNUTRITION IS SINGLE LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO DISEASE IN THE WORLD. MALNUTRITION AT AN EARLY AGE REDUCES MENTAL DEVELOPMENT AND CODNITIVE ABILITY.PERFORM POORLY ON THE ABILITY TESTS AND HAVE LOWER CONCENTRATION IN CLASSES.MALNUTRITION IN CHILDREN LEADS TO STUNING AND WASTING.

IN CONCLUTION MALNUTRITION AND POVERTY IS LINKED TOGETHER,AND ALSO ILLETERACY FURTHER CONTRIBUTE TO AGGRAVATE THE SITUATION AND RESULTS IN DISEASES AND UNDERIMMUNISED STATE OF ILLNESS. IN FURTHER EVALUATION WE SEE THAT ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS LIKE DIFFERENT POLLUTIONS AND LACK OF GOOD WAER SUPPLY MAKE SITUATION FURHER BAD.IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES MORE FOCUS GIVING TO ALLEVIATE THIS SITUATION BY INTRODUCING FREE FOOD ASISTANCE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMES.