Childhood malnutrition
Growth retardation is the result of chronic or recurrent undernutrition in utero and in early childhood. Stunted children may never reach their full height or cognitive potential. Not only do stunted children earn less as adults due to fewer academic and learning difficulties, but they are also more likely to be at risk of overweight and obesity than height-adjusted children. normal.
Waste is a life-threatening condition attributable to poor nutrient intake and/or disease. Characterized by a rapid deterioration in nutritional status over a short period of time, children suffering from wasting have weakened immune systems, which increases their risk of death due to the increased frequency and severity of common infections, especially when they are serious.
Nearly half of all deaths among children under 5 are attributable to undernutrition, but the face of malnutrition, in all its forms, is changing rapidly, with children Overweight a growing epidemic of global proportions. Being overweight is the result of increasing numbers of children living in obesogenic environments with greater availability of processed foods and a more sedentary lifestyle.
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Women’s diet
A woman’s nutritional status is a powerful barometer of her well-being and that of her children. A well-nourished woman tends to be healthier and has better cognitive abilities and physical strength that enable her to participate actively in family and public life. A well-nourished woman is also more likely to have well-nourished children. Unfortunately, many women around the world face a triple threat of undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and being overweight. 30 percent of women aged 15 to 49 suffer from anemia, 10 percent of them are underweight and more than 35 percent of them are overweight, including 13 percent living with obesity.
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Infant and young child feeding
What, when and how children are fed, especially in the first two years of life, is essential for health, development and survival. Early initiation of breastfeeding – putting newborns to the breast within the first hour of life – is essential for newborn survival and the establishment of long-term breastfeeding. Breastfeeding infants only for the first six months of life, exclusive breastfeeding, is the safest and healthiest option for children around the world and has great potential to save lives. From 6 months of age, children’s nutritional needs are greater than what breast milk alone can provide. Feeding children solid, semi-solid or soft foods from 6 months of age is essential to prevent deficiencies that can lead to malnutrition. Diets that meet at least minimum standards for frequency and diversity are essential to prevent micronutrient deficiencies, stunting and wasting.
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Micronutrient deficiencies
Micronutrient deficiencies are caused by insufficient intake of one or more vitamins and minerals essential for preventing malnutrition in all its forms and reducing the prevalence of disease, particularly during pregnancy and early childhood. Iodine deficiency, for example, the world’s most preventable cause of impaired cognitive functioning can lead to a variety of health and developmental consequences, including stunted growth and intellectual disability. For children living in countries with high under-five mortality and vitamin A deficiency is a public health issue, vitamin A supplementation provides vital protection against blindness and reduces the risk of dying from preventable causes such as measles and diarrhea.
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Low birth weight
To grow a healthy baby, mothers need good nutrition and rest, adequate prenatal care, and a clean environment. Together, these necessary ingredients for a healthy pregnancy can help prevent, identify and treat conditions that cause low birth weight. A newborn’s birth weight is an important marker of maternal and fetal health and nutrition. Low birth weight newborns are at higher risk of dying in the first 28 days of life. Those who survive are more likely to suffer from stunted growth and lower IQs. The consequences of low birth weight continue into adulthood, increasing the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
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