Nutrition and socio-economic development in Southeast Asia

Abstract

While most Third World countries, particularly in Africa and Latin America, have experienced a deterioration in child welfare as a result of the severe economic downturn in the 1980s, Southeast Asia in general managed to sustain improvements in the situation of its children because it has maintained satisfactory rates of economic growth. However, there were exceptions within Southeast Asia. The Philippines, Vietnam, Dem. Kampuchea and Laos had unsatisfactory growth rates and, consequently, unsustained nutritional gains from the 1970s through the 1980s. Economic factors exerted a big impact on the Philippine nutrition situation, particularly on the dietary status of the households and the nutritional status of children. As a result of the economic dislocation occurring in the country, the nutritional gains of 1978-82 were not maintained in succeeding years. Unlike the case of Thailand, it has been estimated that the solution to nutritional problems in the Philippines is far from being achieved in the immediate future (Villavieja et al. 1989). On the other hand, the nutrition improvements in Thailand have been as remarkable as the economic growth over the last decade. Long-term investments in health, nutrition and other social services in Thailand (as well as in Indonesia) have paid off according to the assessment by the United Nations (1990). It appears, therefore, that the nutrition situation in developing countries is highly dependent on the economic situation, globally and nationally (Cornia et al. 1987), as well as on investment in social services. Adjustment policies should, therefore, consider their implications on distribution and poverty in order that they could positively contribute to the improvement of the nutrition of the people.

PIP: An overview for Southeast Asia is provided for population growth, food availability and consumption patterns and trends in nutritional health; and example of the interaction between the economy and food consumption and nutrition in the Philippines is given. The conclusion is that Southeast Asia, to a great extent, has managed to sustain child welfare improvements through satisfactory rates of economic growth. Countries in Africa and Latin America have not been so fortunate. The exceptions in Southeast Asia are the Philippines, Vietnam, Democratic Kampuchea, and Laos; whatever economic or nutritional gains were made in the late 1970's or early 1980's were hampered due to high population growth rates and economic declines. In the Philippines, there has been political uncertainty, a very heavy debt burden (38.1, in 1989, for debt service), and a decline in Gross National Product. After 1988, economic recovery slowed and Mt. Pinatubo erupted. The result was farm land loss to volcanic ash and greater hardship conditions for the poor and nutritionally vulnerable. Food consumption surveys show increases in consumption in 1982 with a diversified diet and a significant decline in 1987 in mean daily per capita energy, protein, and nutrient intake. The prevalence of underweight preschool children declined from 21.9% in 1978 to 17.2% in 1982, and then increased to 17.7% in 1987. Regional anthropometric measurements and incidence of underweight children aged 0-6 years in 1989-90 showed improvement. Severe chronic malnutrition also improved between 1987-90, which paralleled economic improvements. The population of Southeast Asia has doubled over the past 30 years; food supply has also increased. At the national level, no country shows food shortages. Countries without enough cushion to allow for food losses or distribution problems are Democratic Kampuchea, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, most of which also may be deficient in consumption of oils and fats. Infant mortality (IM) has declined slightly throughout the region, but particularly in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Low-birth-weight babies were the most numerous in Laos. IM rates are similar to other countries in Africa and South Asia , with the exception of Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia. Nutritional improvement has been the highest in Thailand and Indonesia.