Malnutrition is preventable: Eat healthy foods

Malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) explains that malnutrition covers two broad groups of conditions.

One group captures ‘undernutrition’—which includes stunting (low height for age); wasting (low weight for height); underweight (low weight for age) and micronutrient deficiencies or insufficiencies, (which refer to lack of important vitamins and minerals), while overweight, obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases (such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer) are in the second group.

The WHO also says malnutrition affects people in every country, indicating that around 1.9 billion adults worldwide are overweight, while 462 million are underweight.

An estimated 41 million children under the age of five years are overweight or obese, while some 159 million are stunted and 50 million are wasted.

Adding to this burden are the 528 million or 29 per cent of women of reproductive age around the world affected by anaemia, for which approximately half would be amenable to iron supplementation.

Malnutrition affects all age groups but is more common in developing countries and among children, elderly and pregnant women.

Groups at higher risks

Those at a higher risk are the elderly who are over 65, particularly if they are living in care facilities; those with long-term chronic illnesses such as those of the liver or kidney; those with cancer or other debilitating infections such as AIDS and those who abuse drugs or are alcoholics.

Worldwide, malnutrition is said to be common among the low income and homeless groups, has been found to be the most important cause of illness and death affecting large populations of children and pregnant women.

Statistics from the WHO indicate that malnutrition kills 300,000 individuals worldwide each year and is responsible for about half of all deaths in young children because it raises the risk of infections with diarrhoea, malaria, measles and respiratory tract infections in children.

Symptoms

The most common symptom of malnutrition is weight loss. For example, those who lose up to 10 per cent of their body weight in three months without dieting are considered to be malnourished.

There may be other symptoms such as fatigue, lack of energy, lack of strength, breathlessness, anaemia, changes in skin, hair and nails, etc.

in adults with malnutrition.

Children with malnutrition additionally show irritability, inability to concentrate, failure to grow to physically and mentally.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview at the launch of a project to by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), to support the government’s efforts to reduce and eradicate malnutrition, particularly among women and vulnerable groups in Accra, a nutritionist, Ms Stella Williams, said eating balanced and healthy meals was not just about the right amount but rather the amount of nutrients in the food.

She said a well-balanced diet should consist of nutrients in the proper quantities needed to maintain health or growth.

A research recent conducted by the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems on food systems and diets established that 5.5 million Ghanaians were malnourished.

SDG Five

As a United Nations (UN) member country, Ghana is required to deliver on goal five of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which entreats all member countries to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030 as part of global action plans to end malnutrition.

The above-mentioned report said that poor diet was now accepted as the single most important contributor to diseases in Ghana and in parts of the world.

The situation has been attributed to the fact that many families cannot afford or access enough nutritious foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, meat and milk while foods and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt are cheaper and more readily available, leading to a rapid rise in the number malnourished.

Ms Williams explained that it was not difficult to put together a balanced meal in Ghana because of the availability of variety of sources of protein, both plant and animals, vitamins and all food nutrients required.

Writer’s email doreen.andoh@graphic.com.gh