Home About HFR FAQs Blog Contact Center Login What is malnutrition? HomeEducationWhat is malnutrition? Previous What is malnutrition? By Oscar HENAO|June 20th, 2016|Education|0 Comments Malnutrition is the result of not consuming enough food, or enough of the necessary foods for the body to work and develop properly. A malnourished person finds that their body has difficulty doing normal things such as growing and resisting disease. Physical work becomes problematic and even learning abilities can be diminished, as a result. For women, pregnancy becomes risky and they cannot be sure of producing nourishing breast milk. When a person is not getting enough food or not getting the right sort of food, malnutrition is just around the corner. Even if people get enough to eat, they will become malnourished if the food they eat does not provide the proper amounts of micro-nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to meet daily nutritional requirements. Disease and malnutrition are closely linked. Sometimes disease is the result of malnutrition, sometimes it is a contributing cause. In fact, malnutrition is the largest single contributor to disease in the world, according to the UN’s Standing Committee on Nutrition (SCN). Malnutrition at an early age leads to reduced physical and mental development during childhood. Stunting, for example, affects more than 147 million pre-schoolers in developing countries, according to SCN’s World Nutrition Situation 5th report. Iodine deficiency, the same report shows, is the world’s greatest single cause of mental retardation and brain damage. Undernutrition affects school performance, and studies have shown it often leads to a lower income as an adult. It also causes women to give birth to low birth-weight babies. Window of opportunity The first two years of life are a critical “window of opportunity”. In this period it is possible to prevent the largely irreversible damage that follows early childhood undernutrition. WFP’s operations routinely focus on the earliest phase of life, i.e. from conception (-9 months) to 24 months of age. We try to ensure under-twos receive the vitamins and minerals they need. There are two sides to eliminating malnutrition: sustaining the quality and quantity of food a person eats; and ensuring adequate health care and a healthy environment. Our role in fighting malnutrition is to give malnourished people the food and nutrients they need , but also to prevent it, by acting where there is the threat of malnutrition. Article originally published by the World Food Programme. Share This Add Comment You must be logged in to post a comment. Recent Posts What is malnutrition? Child Care Center Fact Sheet Launching our Website Archives June 2016 December 2015 Categories Education General CCFP Information Uncategorized USDA NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT In accordance with Federal Law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call toll free (866) 632-9992 (Voice). Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Get In Touch Address: 7777 Davie Road Extension, Suite 201-A, Hollywood, FL 33024 Phone: 305-655-0022 Fax: 305-655-0870 Email: contact@highlandfood.miami Web: highlandfood.miami Copyright Highland Food Resources, Inc. - 2016