Feeding and Nourishing our Generations: The Major Role of Nutrition in “Shaping the Lives of Women and Children.”
For the women and children, the kind of healthy and nutritious food they consume is the basic foundation of a healthy and flourished life. The proper access to a healthier meal is mandatory for our well-being. Nutrition is necessary not just for our physical stability, but also important for intellectual, emotional and for our mental growth as well. A healthy and balanced food meal is not only promoting the maternal fitness in Women but also decreasing the threat of any kind of problem during their delivery. The foundation of children’s ability to grow, learn and evolve both in the shape of physicality and their mentality, lies in the type food they consume. If they eat well, they evolve well.
Figure#1: A Person Using a MUAC Tape on a Child
The Influence of Malnutrition: A Global Crisis Affecting Women and Children
Poverty and starvation, giving a continuous challenge in several regions of the world that is swaying millions of people especially in women and in children globally. According to the reports from World Health Organization (WHO), this malnutrition disease is causing 45% of demise rates among young-ones under five. Extreme hunger or poverty negatively impacting a child’s mental and physical health, which leads to psychological, cerebral & internal issues. Furthermore, malnutrition is increasing the risk of several infectious disorders for example Pneumonia, Malaria, and mostly Helminth and Schistosome diseases. Adult’s productivity and their ability to learn things, are deeply affected for the longer period and malnutrition is the root cause of that, which is repeatedly showing as Stunted growth (Short in height) in the elders. Children born, from a malnourished mother’s womb, below average birth weight and poor growth trajectory are commonly found in them, which perpetuates the chain of poverty and poor life consequences for the future upcoming generations.
According to the recent reports from UNICEF in 2020, it was calculated that approximately 149.2 million children of up to Five years old have faced stunted growth issues because of chronic malnutrition. Stunting has reduced the ability to learn and affected scholastic success in children, who in return will damage their future financial capacities and economic resources.
Women, particularly those who are carrying a child or breastfeeding their kids, are extremely affected due to Malnutrition. Endangerment/hazardous situation is creating among women and children due to only nutritional deficiency such as iron deficiency causing anemia, which disrupting the working competency of women as well as their pregnancy outcome. Not only this, other micronutrients insufficiencies such as Vitamin A, C and Iodine can cause serious health problems in women. A couple of recent studies have shown that women who are underfed/starved during their pregnancy time, are extremely vulnerable to face difficulties during childbirth/delivery. This vulnerability and underfed situation can lead them to unexpected or early delivery and, resulting, low birth weight babies. (WHO Website) (BMJ)
Figure#2: Ethnic girl choosing fruit in market with mother
Disrupting the chain of Poverty: How Nutrition Fuels Success and Economic Growth
Poverty, the state where one lacks a usual amount of money to be able to buy food for their loved ones, and negligence towards public healthcare structure can easily exacerbate the malnutrition. Globally, millions of people, are facing this food insecurity issue only because of rivalry/war, ecological impact & financial instability in developing countries. The World Food Program (WFP) underline that a malnourished kid is facing difficulties in doing well in school which is limiting the financial/economic empowerment. This will keep creating an unbreakable chain of hunger.
One of the best ways to break the chain of poverty and the best way to end this loop is to address healthy food. The World Food Program (WFP) emphasizes that a healthy, well-nourished child with strong immunity performs better in school and is more likely to achieve success. Only these kids are fully active and ready to make their contribution to the betterment of the country’s economy in the future. Similarly, healthier meal provision to the women can assure and secure pregnancies which, in result to that, sets the foundation of healthier children in future.
