Effects Of Malnutrition In Guatemala

Although the Indigenous population makes up about 49% of the total Guatemalan population, they are almost entirely cut off from adequate access to food. Residing in the western highlands of Guatemala, the lack of access to public services is mainly due to remoteness and overall poor infrastructure in these rural areas. Areas like Totonicapán, San Marcos, Huehuetenango, and Quetzaltenango are just some of the areas that suffer from this extreme poverty and exemplify the poor systems in rural areas. Most conditions and illnesses are left untreated, leading to a myriad of health issues within the community that need to be addressed and prevented. Malnutrition causes other conditions such as diarrhea, stunting, anemia, and vitamin deficiencies.

In 2004, malnutrition cost the country $3.1 million in lost productivity, which is 11.4% of total GDP. Children who are undernourished at a young age are at a high risk for poor cognitive development, adversely affecting Guatemala’s productivity and growth in the future. Childhood anemia is also associated with a 2.5% drop in adult wages and the Latin America region loses millions of dollars a year to chronic disease as well. Improving the health care and well being of more Guatemalans, improving their ability to work, will allow more money flow throughout the economy to benefit

Rural households are not adept to providing a proper infant death and infants are often fed the same diet as the adults in the family. This average diet, a maize and bean based diet, lacks nutrients essential for infants. Including home gardens, agriculture, and livestock can greatly improve nutritional standings of children, and subsequently others in the household. Educating and training women to manage gardens and breastfeed will increase infant nutrient and vitamin levels as well as improving diet