Malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses, or imbalances in a
person's intake of energy and/or nutrients. Child malnutrition, in
all its forms, includes undernutrition, which includes wasting (low
weight-for-height), stunting (low height-for-age) and underweight
(low weight-for-age), micronutrient-related malnutrition (a lack of
important vitamins and minerals) or micronutrient excess,
overweight, obesity, and resulting diet-related non-communicable
diseases. Malnutrition is one of the most important factors for
improper physical and mental development of children. One in every
five children in the developing world is malnourished, and poor
nutrition is associated with half of all child deaths worldwide.
The problem of low or excessive body weight concerns countries with
different levels of socio-economic development. This is a medical,
social, and economic issue. Every country in the world is affected
by one or more forms of malnutrition. Combating malnutrition in all
its forms is one of the greatest global health challenges. Infants,
children and adolescents are at particular risk of malnutrition. In
children, malnutrition has particularly significant health
consequences during both early development and adulthood.
Malnutrition endangers children's survival, health, growth and
development, slows national progress towards the developmental
goals and thus diminishes the strength and capacity of nation.
Malnutrition in terms of undernutrition is substantially higher in
rural than in urban areas and children from indigenous populations
often have the poorest nutritional status. The developmental,
economic, social, and medical impacts of the global burden of
malnutrition are serious and lasting for all involved including
individuals and their families, communities and countries. Poor
nutrition during the early years of life can also have severe
consequences for subsequent skeletal and immunological development.
Studies have demonstrated that undernutrition is not caused by food
insecurity alone. Other factors range from the length of the
breastfeeding period and the availability of milk oligosaccharides,
pathogen exposure, and enteric dysfunction marked by villus atrophy
and loss of gut barrier function. Differences in the succession of
microbial establishment and maturity might contribute to family
discordances in nutritional status. Childhood obesity is one of the
most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. The
problem is global and is steadily affecting many low- and
middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings. Its
prevalence has increased at an alarming rate. Globally, in 2016,
the number of overweight children under the age of five is
estimated to be over 41 million. Almost half of all overweight
children under 5 lived in Asia. Overweight and obesity have been
linked to adverse psychological and physical outcomes during
childhood and continuing into adolescence and adulthood. The
association between overweight and obesity with psychosocial
problems (anxiety, depression and negative self-image), health
problems (diabetes and cardiovascular events) and impaired social,
educational and economic productivity has been well documented.
Moreover, the negative impact of being underweight, overweight, or
obese on the health and development of children and adolescents can
also extend into adulthood, increasing the risk of chronic
non-communicable diseases and disability. Overweight and obesity,
as well as their related diseases, are largely preventable.
Therefore prevention of childhood obesity is a high priority. The
mechanism of development of obesity is not fully understood and it
is believed to be a disorder with multiple causes. Environmental
factors, lifestyle preferences, and cultural environment play
pivotal roles in the rising prevalence of obesity worldwide. In
general, overweight and obesity are assumed to be the result of an
increase in caloric and fat intake. On the other hand, there are
supporting evidence that excessive sugar intake by soft drink,
increased portion size, and steady decline in physical activity
have been playing major roles in the rising rates of obesity all
around the world. Nutritional assessmentis the interpretation of
anthropometric, biochemical, clinical and dietary data to determine
whether a person or groups of people are well nourished or
malnourished (over-nourished or under-nourished). Research can be
aimed at identifying the various social, cultural, political, and
economic factors of nutrition in order to fully understand the
underlying causes of malnutrition. The social determinants of
malnutrition can be explored through both qualitative and
quantitative research methods. Furthermore, exploring the issues of
food security, dietary diversity, and infant-feeding practices can
provide a comprehensive understanding of a population's nutritional
status.
General
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