The word hunger can mean the painful sensation caused by the want of food, the want or scarcity of food in a country or a strong desire or craving. In relation to the term World Hunger, the word refers to the want or scarcity of food in a country (World Hunger, 2011). In areas of the world, including the United States, where hunger is an issue, malnourishment becomes a very serious concern. Malnutrition is a very basic term referring to the general lack of some or all nutrients needed to support human health. There are two main types of malnutrition, Protein- energy malnutrition (PEM) and micronutrient deficiency (World Hunger, 2011). While both types of malnutrition are dangerous, PEM is the most important and most notable form of the disease and is eminently fatal. In the early developmental years of a child’s life, specifically from zero to five years of age, malnutrition is of the greatest concern. Failing to properly feed a child’s body can cause irreversible damage to the mind leading to developmental delays, stunted physical cognitive and emotional growth, mental retardation, livelong illness and even death. In many countries across the globe, lack of funds and resources contribute greatly the malnourished child issues. However, in established countries such as the United States, where extensive programs such as Women Infants and Children are established to eradicate these issues, they still exist. This is due in large part to a lack of education. Many young mothers are unaware of the nutritional needs of their young children. Unfortunately, many cases are also a result of abuse and neglect. Regardless of the motive or situation leading up to the circumstances which provided for a malnourished child, education is the answe...
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... healthfully develop physically, cognitively, emotionally and socially, a child must be nourished.
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Nutrition is the process of consuming food and utilizing the nutrients from the food eaten (“Nutrition.”). It is very important to have enough nutrition for a growing teenager as it helps to develop and strengthen the bones along with growth and development (“Adolescent and School Health.”). Nutrition is very vital for the growing body as it helps prevent certain diseases and helps give the proper development and nourishment (HAGIKALFA). There are multiple nutrients that help maintain development and nutrition such as carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water. If there was a lack of nutrition in a growing teenager, the teenager will not be able to have enough nutrition to grow and they will be more prone to sickness and diseases (“Hunger and Malnutrition.”). A malnourished teenager will may end up having muscle weakness, fatigue, dizziness, fragile bones, tooth decay, and much more (“Hunger and Malnutrition.”).
World hunger is a very important epidemic because of the risks or implications it imposes on the rest of the world. Juveniles are the utmost apparent victims of under-nutrition. 2.6 million children die as a result of hunger-related causes each year. 66 million school-aged children go to classes hungry across the developing world, with 23 million in Africa alone. One in four of the world's youth are kept from growing due to malnutrition. In developing countries the proportion can rise to one in three. A strong maternal-infant bond provided through psychosocial stimulation is essential for positive child development. The formation of this bond at the beginning of life is an essential step that sets the stage for cognitive,emotional, and social development later in life. Feeding and other care practices provide opportunities for psychosocial stimulation and help to establish a positive attachment between caregiver and child.(WHO) Under-nutrition magnifies the effect of every disease, such as measles,diarrhea and malaria. Asia has the largest number of hungry people (over 500 million) however S...
Malnutrition is the lack of proper nutrition; it is caused by not having enough to eat, not eating enough of the right foods with the correct vitamins and nutrients, or not being able to absorb nutrients from foods being eaten. In the United States of America, malnutrition is not common due to not only the availability of modern medicine and knowledgeable doctors, but also because of government enforced laws of supplementation in certain common foods. Because of this, Americans typically overlook the widespread problem of malnutrition in developing countries. In parts of the world, such as West Africa, it is very common for most individuals in a community to be malnourished in some way. Because there are so many aspects of a healthy diet, it
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There are many different kinds of effects that come from not consuming the right amount of the nutrients everyday. Receiving the right amount is key especially for children ages zero to three years old. Some physical effects in early-aged children is the inability to fully develop in growth and their ability to fight infections is very weak. Other physical conditions found in children are chronic health issues such as, asthma and Cystic Fibrosis, also many children find themselves needing to be hospitalized. Mental effects are taken into account as well, because many children experience behavioral consequences and challenges: Children also suffer from anxiety and aggression issues. Young children are not only people affected from lack of nutrients, but adults experience both physical and mental problems too. Adults are not as affected by not getting the accurate amount of nutrients, these ages unfortunately do not get to live a...
The effects of nutrition can begin before birth, with the nutrition of the mother. Under nutrition can result in negative effects of the development of the brain that can become permanent and irreversible. One example is the lack of iron, which is a necessary part of the brain’s tissue. When iron deficiency is present nerve impulses tend to move slower. “Iron deficiency…is associated with behavior changes and delayed psychomotor development” (Nutrition and Cognitive Development, 2001), as well as decrease attention span, irritability, fatigue, and difficultly with concentration. “ Anemia is one of the most prevalent nutritional disorders in the world, affecting nearly one quarter of all low-income children in the United States”(Rosenberg,1998). Iron deficiently anemia effects many young children in our country and has been linked to a child’s ability to learn by influencing attention span and memory. Besides iron, there can be iodine deficiently as well that can occur during the early years of a child. Reduced cognition and achievement in school can be associated with iodine deficiency. Researchers have also proven a decrease in protein intake with in diets can have an effect on achievement scores. Overall, under nutrition can results in a decrease of activity, social interaction, curiosity and cognitive functioning. This is proof of how the prenatal period of a child is the most important. “Recent evidence indicates that 15 percent of very low birth weight children and nearly 5 percent of low birth weight children require special education, compared to 4.3 percent of children born at normal birth weight”(Children’s Nutrition and Learning, 1994). Infants that are b...
In a child's first years of life, it is important for optimal growth that they receive improved nutrition and improved learning opportunities. Not only are those two factors independently crucial to early development, but it has been said that they have a direct correlation. Among a plethora of results gathered from a study done in 2011 by Kate Northstone et al are “novel associations between dietary patterns in early childhood, and current diet, with ...
A considerable effort has been done in terms of defining the social issue of Child Hunger or hunger in general for policy purposes. Both private and public sectors, with the cooperation of the government agencies, privately funded advocate groups, and academic institutions have used the method to measure hunger by self-report of his or her own experience of suffering from hunger. (Lewit and Kerrebrock, 1997, Pg 129). According to Lewit and Kerrebrock (1997) poverty is defined as “an inadequate amount of food intake due to a lock of money or resources” (pg.129) or “The mental or physical condition that comes from not eating enough food due to insufficient economic, family, or community resources.” (pg.129). As it stands today, Hunger is now defined with the term “Food insecurity” which means families or individuals are unable to secure or afford nutritious safe food in order to have a healthy active lifestyle.
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Whitney, E., & Rolfes, S. R. (2012). An Overview of Nutrition. Understanding Nutrition (13 ed., pp. 2-33). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
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The term ‘cognitive health’ is often associated with conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, ADHD, depression, etc. While an overwhelming body of research and evidence support that cognitive disorders are likely to be influenced by genetic predispositions and environmental factors, there has also been a great deal of research conducted in effort to explore the relationship between nutritional status and cognitive health. It has been found that many aspects of cognitive health are not only impacted, but also dependent upon certain nutrients which must be obtained through the diet. Through each stage of the lifecycle, nutritional status plays a key role in brain development, cognitive function and health, mood, and even the prevention of certain neurological and cognitive conditions. The influence that nutritional status has on cognitive health begins with conception.
Even though there are numerous families that struggle to put food on the table, protein deficiency is rare in the United States, but can be seen in third world countries like Africa. However, protein deficiency disorders can occur even in the United States with people suffering from “alcoholism, anorexia nervosa, or certain intestinal tract disorders, [as well as] those who are elderly, have limited incomes, and are chronically ill”(Schiff 2013). Under nutrition of any kind is due to a lack of food in some fashion whether from crop failures, political unrest, or civil wars, but the etiology of Kwashiorkor and other protein deficiencies is often more complicated. Protein energy malnutrition (also known as PEM) affects people who do not consume sufficient amounts of protein. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 18% of children are underweight due to malnutrition of some kind, including protein-energy malnutrition. There are in fact two types of PEM, kwashiorkor and marasmus. Kwashiorkor is the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in developing countries, primarily occurring where mothers breastfeed their infants until they give birth to another child. The older
“Malnourished children are 20% less literate than those with a healthier diet, says UK charity Save the Children” (The Information Daily). When parents become victims of poverty it can have some very unpleasing long and short term effects to their children. Parents in poverty have a lot on their plate and buying the best quality food or affording enough food can be a tumultuous task. Quality nutrition is essential for the development of the brain. At a young age, poor nutrition or not enough nutrition can seriously hinder “the brain 's development, a child’s ability to learn and has a devastating impact on a child’s future”(The Information Daily). “Malnutrition in the early developmental stages of the brain, by restricting the children’s cognitive growth, can lower a child 's IQ has much has 20 points”(The Information Daily). Long term effects of malnutrition leave permanent damage to the brain, however, malnutrition has short term effects as well. Malnourishment can greatly compromise a child’s immune system, making them more susceptible to infectious diseases. “Low counts of zinc, iron and vitamin A are commonly associated with weakened immune function” (Orphan Nutrition). A deadly infection can have a huge impact on a poverty stricken family leading to less affordability. Malnutrition negatively affects a student throughout their educational
The second type of hunger is considered to be named as chronic or endemic hunger, because it is not felt by the majority of people. However, it can hold some subtle but significant changes in human body developing. For example, children may be underweight on the background of their coevals. The lack of the daily consumption of the vitamin A may cause problems with visio...