Nutritional problems in developing countries

Abstract

Nutritional problems in children constitute the major health problem in developing countries. Impact of a factors leading to different kinds of nutritional problems in developing countries are reviewed. Prevention and treatment of some special disease states are discussed. Outlines for some solutions to the greatest nutritional problems are presented.

PIP: Poor nutrition among children is the primary health problem plagueing developing countries. The problem stems primarily from the social and economic inequalities extant in the world today and could be ameliorated by reducing unemployment and urban migration through rural and village level development keyed to the needs and desires of the community. The major nutritional problems facing the developing countries are described and suggestions for preventing the problems and for treating specific nutritional diseases are made. Major nutritional problems include: 1) Maternal nutritional anemia; 2) protein energy malnutrition; 3) vitamin A deficiency; 4) lactation failure; 5) addiction to milk feeding; and 6) inadequate preparation and use of artificial milk products. Maternal nutritional anemia increases the frequency of low weight births in developing countries. Protein energy malnutrition afflicts approximately 100 million children under the age of 5 and can permanently affect the physical and mental development of these children. Vitamin A deficiency is one of the major causes of preventable blindness. The economic loss resulting from preventable blindness is tremendous; this loss could be prevented by spending only 10 cents a day to supplement the diet of each malnourished child. Lactation failure is especially devasting for babies born to poor women and all practices, such as temporary bottle feeding, which contribute toward lactation failure should be halted. Inappropriate use of artificial milk products increases nutritional deficiency and gastrointestional problems among babies in the developing countries.