A quarter of the children are malnourished

UNICEF: Worldwide 165 million children chronically malnourished

04/16/2013

Worldwide, every fourth child under the age of five is chronically malnourished, according to the UNICEF report, which reports on the nutritional status of children and mothers. Chronic malnutrition has far-reaching consequences, especially in the first few months of life. In the worst case, that remains „Brain and thus underdeveloped the cognitive abilities of the child“, warns UNICEF. The affected children are harmed for their entire life.

Overall, according to the latest figures, 165 million children under the age of five suffer from malnutrition worldwide. The associated underdevelopment of children „It does not only affect the individual abilities of a child to learn and earn a living, but also the social and economic progress of his country“, reports UNICEF. The report on nutrition for children and mothers worldwide, UNICEF presented yesterday in Dublin on the occasion of the launch of the International Conference on Hunger, Food and Climate Justice.

Malnutrition with far-reaching consequences for the entire life
Under the headline „The first 1,000 days have consequences forever“ In its latest press releases, the children's aid organization reports on the key findings of the new UNICEF report. Accordingly, the children in southern Africa and Asia were particularly affected by diet-related underdevelopment. „80 percent of underdeveloped children live in only 14 countries“, so the message from UNICEF. The experts see in the „Underdevelopment is one of the reasons that the world is currently unable to fully meet the Millennium Development Goals.“ In particular, the fight against poverty and hunger, "improving child and maternal health, as well as the fight against HIV and AIDS, is affected by the nutritional underdevelopment".

One third of infant deaths from malnutrition
According to UNICEF contributes „Malnourishment accounts for one-third of all deaths of young children in one-fifth of maternal deaths.“ How far-reaching the consequences of malnutrition actually are, however, can only be guessed on the basis of the current UNICEF report. Obviously, the affected children are too small for their age. But also the development of the brain and thus of the cognitive abilities is often permanently impaired. They fall in the crucial first 1,000 days in the womb and until the second birthday already in a no longer recoverable backlog. „Underdevelopment destroys the potential of children and thwarts opportunities for the development of a country“, UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake commented on the findings of the current report.

Malnourished children have little chance of escaping poverty
Of the underdeveloped children live according to UNICEF „three quarters in South Asia or southern Africa.“ Children from poor families are particularly often affected by underweight and „the dangers for children in rural areas are greater than for children in cities.“ The malnourished girls and boys will be „more often ill, go to school less often and their performance is reduced“, reports UNICEF. The affected children have little according to the children's aid organization „Opportunities to escape the cycle of poverty“, which is also reflected in the fact that in later working life they earn on average 22 percent less money than their peers, who were sufficiently fed as a child.

Diseases also play a role in malnutrition
Chronic malnutrition results from a permanently inadequate intake of calories and nutrients. However, diseases such as frequent diarrhea or parasitic infestations may also play a role, according to UNICEF. The good news, though, is that „we know what works“, stressed Anthony Lake. The current UNICEF report shows, „that countries as diverse as Ethiopia, Haiti, Peru or Rwanda have already made significant progress with targeted programs for better nutrition for children.“

Utilities with promising effects
The latest UNICEF report shows that in recent years „Good progress has been made in the fight against hidden hunger and other forms of malnutrition.“ For example, according to the Child Relief Organization, in India, where the underdeveloped children make up 61 million, 61 million are living, „In the state of Maharashtra, the proportion of affected children will be reduced from 39 percent in 2005/2006 to 23 percent in 2012.“ In Peru too, the proportion of underdeveloped children fell from 30 to 20 percent between 2006 and 2011. In Ethiopia, a reduction from 57 percent in 2000 to 44 percent in 2011 was achieved.

Targeted investing in nutrition and health
Success in the fight against underdevelopment promise action, „which invest specifically in the nutrition and health of mothers and children“; so the conclusion of UNICEF. The Child Relief Organization contributes to a sustainable strengthening of health systems by financing the equipment of hospitals and the training of midwives and helpers. In addition, UNICEF distributed according to its own information „large quantities of supplemental nutrients such as vitamins and minerals to pregnant women and children worldwide.“ Especially for expectant mothers, nutrients such as iron and folic acid are particularly important. Furthermore, will be „Mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding and the right kind of food for toddlers“ enlightened.

Knowledge and means to successfully combat malnutrition exist
In principle, according to UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake „no child, no mother and no 21st-century country is suffering from a lack of nutrition.“ Lake raised the question of what could be more unjust and cruel, „as a child already in the womb to condemn a life of deprivation - especially if we know how we can prevent it?“ There is no rational reason here if we have the knowledge and the ability to protect the children, not to do so now. The situation and development opportunities of children in the poorer countries are also a measure of the distribution of wealth worldwide. In addition to the affected states, the so-called industrialized nations have a duty, in the interests of justice, to devote the necessary resources to providing prospects for children in developing countries. (Fp)