Malnutrition is the insufficient, excessive or imbalanced consumption of nutrients. A number of different nutrition disorders may arise, depending on which nutrients are under or overabundant in the diet.
The World Health Organization cites malnutrition as the gravest single threat to the world's public health. Malnutrition is, by far, the biggest contributor to child mortality, present in half of all cases. Malnutrition, in the form of iodine deficiency, is the most common preventable cause of mental impairment. Improving nutrition is widely regarded as the most effective form of aid.
Causes
Agricultural productivity
Food shortages are mostly caused by the lack of technology needed for the higher yields found in modern agriculture, such as nitrogen fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation. Reasons for the unavailability include moves to stop supplying fertilizer on environmental grounds, cited as the the obstacle to feeding Africa by the Green revolution pioneer Norman Borlaug. As a result of widespread poverty, farmers cannot afford or governments cannot provide the technology. The World Bank and some wealthy donor countries also press nations that depend on aid to cut or eliminate subsidized agricultural inputs such as fertilizer, in the name of free market policies even as the United States and Europe extensively subsidized their own farmers. Many, if not most, farmers cannot afford fertilizer at market prices, leading to low agricultural production and wages and high, unaffordable food prices.As much as food shortages may be a contributing factor to malnutrition in countries with lack of technology, the FAO (food and agriculture Organization)has estimated that eighty percent of malnourished children living countries in the developing world produce food surpluses.
With 95% of all malnourished peoples living in the relatively stable climate region of the sub-tropics and tropics, climate change is of great importance to food security in these regions. According to the latest IPCC reports, temperature increases in these regions are "very likely." Even small changes in temperatures can lead to increased frequency of extreme weather conditions. Many of these have great impact on agricultural production and hence nutrition. For example, the 1998-2001 central Asian drought brought about an 80% livestock loss and 50% reduction in wheat and barley crops in Iran. Similar figures were present in other nations. An increase in extreme weather such as drought in regions such as Sub-Saharan would have even greater consequences in terms of malnutrition. Even without an increase of extreme weather events, a simple increase in temperature reduces the productiveness of many crop species, also decreasing food security in these regions.
Thomas Malthus noted overpopulation will outgrow food production as increases in food production occur along a slow arithmetic progression while population growth follows much faster geometric progressions causing food shortages. This argument has long since been refuted on several grounds but has nonetheless served as a backdrop for understanding of the causes of malnutrition. Food supplies can also be disrupted by impacts of natural disasters, from the results of conflict and war, as an impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic as a consequence of other health issues such as diarrheal disease or chronic illness from lack of education regarding proper nutrition, or from countless other potential factors.
The use of biofuels as a replacement for traditional fuels may leave less supply of food for nutrition and raises the price of food. The UN special rapporteur on the right to food, Jean Ziegler proposes that agricultural waste, such as corn cobs and banana leaves, rather than crops themselves be used as fuel.
Colony collapse disorder is a phenomenon where bees are dying in large numbers. Since many agricultural crops worldwide are pollinated by bees, this represents a serious threat to the supply of food. An epidemic of stem rust on wheat caused by race Ug99 is currently spreading across Africa and into Asia and, it is feared, could wipe out more than 80% of the world’s wheat crops.
Poverty and food prices
The economist Amartya Sen observed that, in recent decades, famine has always a problem of food distribution and/or poverty, as there has been sufficient food to feed the whole population of the world. He states that malnutrition and famine were more related to problems of food distribution and purchasing power.
It is argued that commodity speculator are increasing the cost of food. As the real estate bubble in the United States was collapsing, it is said that trillions of dollars moved to invest in food and primary commodities, causing the 2007-2008 food price crisis.
Dietary practices
The lack of breastfeeding leads to malnutrition in infants and children. Possible reasons for the lack in the developing world may be that the average family thinks bottle feeding is better. The WHO says mothers abandon it because they do not know how to get their baby to latch on properly or suffer pain and discomfort.
Many tend to think malnutrition only in terms of hunger, however, overeating is also a contributing factor as well. Many parts of the world have access to a surplus of non-nutritious food, in addition to increased sedentary lifestyles. In turn, this has created a universal epidemic of obesity. Yale psychologist Kelly Brownell calls this a "toxic food environment” where fat and sugar laden foods have taken precedent over healthy nutritious foods. Not only does obesity occur in developed countries, problems are also occurring in developing countries in areas where income is on the rise.
Effects
See also: child mortality and iodine deficiencyMortality
According to Jean Ziegler (the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food for 2000 to March 2008), mortality due to malnutrition accounted for 58% of the total mortality in 2006: "In the world, approximately 62 million people, all causes of death combined, die each year. One in twelve people worldwide is malnourished. In 2006, more than 36 millions died of hunger or diseases due to deficiencies in micronutrients".
According to the World Health Organization, malnutrition is by far the biggest contributor to child mortality. Underweight births and inter-uterine growth restrictions cause 2.2 million child deaths a year. Poor or non-existent breastfeeding causes another 1.4 million. Other deficiencies, such as lack of vitamin A or zinc, for example, account for 1 million. According to The Lancet, malnutrition in the first two years is irreversible. Malnourished children grow up with worse health and lower educational achievements. Their own children also tend to be smaller. Malnutrition was previously seen as something that exacerbates the problems of diseases such as measles, pneumonia and diarrhea. But malnutrition actually causes diseases as well, and can be fatal in its own right.
Illness
Malnutrition increases the risk of infection and infectious disease; for example, it is a major risk factor in the onset of active tuberculosis. In communities or areas that lack access to safe drinking water, these additional health risks present a critical problem. Lower energy and impaired function of the brain also represent the downward spiral of malnutrition as victims are less able to perform the tasks they need to in order to acquire food, earn an income, or gain an education.
Psychological
The Lancet, a British medical journal, reported that “Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of preventable mental impairment worldwide.” Even moderate iodine deficiency, especially in pregnant women and infants, lowers intelligence by 10 to 15 I.Q. points, shaving incalculable potential off a nation’s development. The most visible and severe effects — disabling goiters, cretinism and dwarfism — affect a tiny minority, usually in mountain villages. But 16 percent of the world’s people have at least mild goiter, a swollen thyroid gland in the neck.
Research indicates that improving the awareness of nutritious meal choices and establishing long-term habits of healthy eating has a positive effect on a cognitive and spatial memory capacity, potentially increasing a student's potential to process and retain academic information.
Some organizations have begun working with teachers, policymakers, and managed foodservice contractors to mandate improved nutritional content and increased nutritional resources in school cafeterias from primary to university level institutions. Health and nutrition have been proven to have close links with overall educational success. Currently less than 10% of American college students report that they eat the recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables daily. Better nutrition has been shown to have an impact on both cognitive and spatial memory performance; a study showed those with higher blood sugar levels performed better on certain memory tests. In another study, those who consumed yogurt performed better on thinking tasks when compared to those who consumed caffeine free diet soda or confections. Nutritional deficiencies have been shown to have a negative effect on learning behavior in mice as far back as 1951.
The "nutrition-learning nexus" demonstrates the correlation between diet and learning and has application in a higher education setting.
There is limited research available that directly links a student's Grade Point Average (G.P.A.) to their overa
Lipovox Top 10 SuperFoods Weight Loss Pill - Best Weight Loss Pill
Wheatgrass: Before World War II, drug stores ... Lipovox is the best weight loss pill!" - Janet L., Wenatchee ... be taken in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise. That is the best ...
Best Slimming Pills - Your Friendly Guide on Losing Weight
Best Slimming Pills - Best Health Information You Ever Find ... We have helped lots of people around the world with the best weight loss treatment.
ø Diet Pills Exposed UPDATE! Why some Diet Pills just won’t work ø ...
It might look good on paper and in the lab, but what are the real world results? ... you, the critics at WeightCritic have dedicated their expertise to finding the best diet pills.
Buy The Best Diet Pills - Best Diet Pill Reviews ::Home
Diet Pill Reference. Looking for a tell all guide to the world of diet pills? Well look no further, GoDietPills.com has everything you could ever want to know about diet pills all ...
Bodybuilding & Weight Loss Supplements - Vitamins , Diet Pills
World Class Nutrition Supplements & Discount Bodybuilding Supplements. This is where to buy the best discount Ephedra, Ephedrine diet pills, Diet ECA, fat burners, antioxidants ...
Weight Loss Pills and Information On New Weight Management and Reviews
There are many peoples in the world who researches online to find the best and suitable weight loss ... but we are not reseller , we will help you in choosing the best diet pill ...
Best Weight Loss Pills
Fat Burning Pills | Best Weight Loss Pills | Ripped Fuel Fat ... of sadness and disability, they feel that the world is ... Dangers of diet pills (1) fat burning pill (1) fat burning pills (1
The Living World And News » 2008 » October - Our World
The Living World And News Our World ... Therefore, you should be wiser when looking for weight loss diet pill so that you can get the best weight ...
Privacy Policy | Diet Pills Review
Bestdietpillsworld.com has established this Privacy Policy to ensure that our visitors are comfortable in visiting our site. Bestdietpillsworld.com will occasionally update this ...
About | Diet Pills Review
There are too many diet pills to name them all. Some of them work as fat binder/fat blocker, some of them work as fat burner, and some of them work as appetite suppressant.