Malnutrition: main aspects and causes

Malnutrition: main aspects and causes

Food is one of the essential needs of human beings, without that we are not able to survive. Food nourishes the human body, provides it with energy necessary for adequate physical and social activities, and maintains or enhances its healthy state. Lack of food or excess of it can be the cause of various diseases and even death. One of the main problems that the world faces today is malnutrition. Malnutrition is a term indicating medical condition and initially meaning improper nourishment. It encompasses all types of deviation from proper, adequate nutrition. It covers both  the lack of food and the excess of it. (Desai & Potter 2002, p.383). Typically, it is investigated as a problem spread in developing countries, but it is present in developed world as well.

Malnutrition is related to bad eating habits (such as eating junk food, over consumption of sugars and fats), the disability of the organism to absorb some important nutrients (essentially necessary minerals and vitamins) (WHO, 2000). Lack of access to food is not the only cause of malnutrition; poor feeding practices and infection, or a combination of the two, are both major factors.

Malnutrition is a multidimensional phenomenon. It encompasses two oposite, but equally serious  problems – overnutrition (improper dieting; overeating, that is usually observed in economically developed countries. The consequence of it is obesity) and undernutrition (typically related with extreme poverty in economically developing countries and may end in starvation).

There are many causes of malnutrition. They are biological, socioeconomic, cultural, political, demographical and environmental. Insufficiency of food is usually being related to poverty but not all poor people face the lack of food. Poverty and other factors related to it, is usually seen as one the main causes of malnutrition.

Malnutrition is caused by different mutually dependent and independent causes and it is difficult to talk about one not mentioning another. Although poverty might be seen as the main cause of malnutrition, but it is not the only.

Malnutrition is a serious global problem caused by many interrelated causes. Poverty might be the main underlying reason, but it is always related with some other factors.

The causes of malnutrition found in studied literature:

Poverty

Hunger

Famine

Seasonal food differences

Income instability

Rapid urbanization and rural to urban migration

Industrial food processing

Cultural believes and norms

The state of women and children in societies

The low status of women

Poor sanitation

Limited access to health care

Limited access to education.

Civil conflicts and wars – that causes contamination especially the water resources.

Psychological tension

Digestive disease

Malabsorption

Anorexia

Bulimia nervosa

Untreated diabetes mellitus

Fasting

Coma

Alcoholism

Over consumption of fat and sugar

Overpopulation

Income gap between the rich and poor within and between nations

Biological factors

Attitudes towards bodies

Physical inactivity

Passive life style

Neglect and not paying attention to the health

Lack of disposal incomes

Rapid population growth.

These are the causes of malnutrition found on the studied literature but probably there are more.  The causes are related to different disciplines, so interdisciplinary approach related to investigating and solving the problem is needed.

Can malnutrition be eradicated? Probably – not. But it can be reduced, by working in international, national and local levels, including NGOs, governments and governmental organizations, small groups of people and individuals.

Reducing of poverty and hunger, empowering women, seeking to dicrease economic disparities, aiming to eradicate illiteracy (all those aspects are reflected in the Millennium Development Goals) – that are the possible steps towards the improving situation. But it would also ask for a change of norms, believes and values in societies, the break of traditions. This is not so easy to achieve.

References:

Camp, Y. C., Richardson W. J., Brooks B. J., 2006, “Suffer the little children”: National and International dimensions of child poverty and public policy, Elsevier, Sabre Foundation.

Desai, V. & Potter, R.B., 2002. The Companion to Development Studies. London: Arnold.

Hofferth, S.L. & Curtin S., 2003. Food Programs and Obesity among US Children. University of Maryland.

FAO, 2000. Malnutrition and Education.Towards the Summit Commitments.

Karp, R.J., Cheng, C., Meyers, A.F., 2005. The Appearance of Discretionary Income: Influence on the Prevalence of Under- and Over-nutrition.International Journal for Equity in Health Commentary.

Kishor, S.1993. “May God Give Sons to All”: Gender and Child Mortality in India. American Sociological Review, Vol.58, No.2. (Apr.,1993), p.247-265.

Laskar, B.I., 1999. Urban Ecology, Underdevelopment and Public Health – a Study of Aligarch City in India. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy. Vol. 19, No.7/8. p 73-100 Provider: Catchword.

Schmeer, K.K., 2005. Married Women’s Resource Position and Household

Food Expenditures in Cebu, Philippines. Journal of Marriage and the Family. Vol. 67, p. 399-409. Provider: Blackwell.

Som, S., 2006. Socioeconomic Differentials in Nutritional Status of Children in the States of West Bengal and Assam, India. Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, India.

Vol. 38, p. 625 – 642. Cambridge University Press.

UN, 2006. The Millennium Development Goals Report.

WHO, 1999. Management of Severe Malnutrition :  a Manual for Physicians and Other Seniour Health Workers. Geneva.

WHO, 2005. Make Every Mother and Child Count.

WHO, 2005. The State of Food Insecurity in the World.

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