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Malnutrition is a global epidemic that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. It occurs when the body does not receive adequate nutrients and can have severe health impacts. Common causes of malnutrition include unequal food distribution systems and lack of access to nutritious foods. The effects of malnutrition range from physical symptoms like skin and hair changes to mental impacts such as loss of judgment. Treatment focuses on replenishing the body with vital nutrients through various means of food supplementation. Addressing the root causes of limited access and developing daily supplements are important for combatting this widespread problem.

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209 views

Muse

Malnutrition is a global epidemic that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. It occurs when the body does not receive adequate nutrients and can have severe health impacts. Common causes of malnutrition include unequal food distribution systems and lack of access to nutritious foods. The effects of malnutrition range from physical symptoms like skin and hair changes to mental impacts such as loss of judgment. Treatment focuses on replenishing the body with vital nutrients through various means of food supplementation. Addressing the root causes of limited access and developing daily supplements are important for combatting this widespread problem.

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Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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HUNG

Journal about clothes, music, food, craft, photography & travel

Malnutrition: An Epidemic of Hunger

By: Annika Rawers

DECEMBER 2016

PROFILE

WHAT IS
MALNUTRITION?
by Annika Rawers

What is Malnutrition?
Have you ever tried fasting or gone
a day without food? Remember the
joy of finally getting a bite to eat?
Now imagine living a life of that
ongoing hungry and knowing that
you will not get food the next day.
Malnutrition epidemic is a case
where a person is not receiving
enough nutrients necessary for
their body to maintain proper
health. According to the World
Food Programme (WFP)
malnutrition is a state in which the
physical function of an individual is
impaired to the point where he or

she can no longer maintain


adequate bodily performance
processes such as growth,
pregnancy, lactation, physical work
and resisting and recovering from
disease (Bain, 2013). This shows
that malnutrition has a direct effect
on the body's function due to
improper nutrients. In addition,
malnutrition prohibits the body
from performing normally.

Malnutrition is a
broad term
commonly used as
an alternative to
undernutrition but
technically it also
refers to
overnutrition."
- UNICEF, n.d.

What is causing malnutrition?


Malnutrition has many
causes and these include
the distribution of food.
According to a Know Your
Environment article, The
U.S. Agency for
International
Development also
observes that "Civil unrest
or inadequate
infrastructure can disrupt
or prevent the
development of
distribution networks
even when food is
available within a country
or region," while at the
same time "social
conditions and cultural
norms often

prevent adequate
access to and/or
utilization of food,
especially by women."
(Know Your
Environment, 2004).The
amount of food available
is not always the cause
of the issue. Much of
the issue can be linked
to the unfair distribution
of food. In some
scenarios, food
producing countries are
hindering their citizens
from consuming the
food their own county
produces.

Eggs represent each continents


production and consumption on a
global scale.

Every five seconds a


child dies because of
hunger.
- (Mutual Responsibility, n.d)

What is the local and global impact of


malnutrition?
Malnutrition has a major impact on the global and local community. In the article Malnutrition
and Obesity Living Side By Side, Schiava states Not only do 805 million people go to bed hungry
every day, with one-third of global food production (1.3 billion tons each year) being wasted,
there is another scenario that reflects the nutrition paradox even more starkly: two billion
people are affected by micronutrients...(Shiava, 2014). This goes to show that a great number of
people suffer from malnutrition will others waste food. Locally, food waste is seen everywhere
on a daily basis, from our dumpsters, schools, restaurants and homes.

18

What are the


impacts on
personal
health?
Malnutrition has multiple and
brutal impacts on ones self,
these including physical and
emotional effects. In a 60
minutes article, they discuss
the mental effects malnutrition
has on the body and mind,
They were so hungry, they ate
rats and insects to survive(60
Minutes, 2012). This
demonstrates how someone
with this condition could lose
their sanity. In addition the
systems of judgment and
common sense used in ones
brain can be skewed or lost as a
result of malnutrition.
Secondly, the physical
symptoms of malnutrition were
listed in a John Hopkins
Children's Center article as,
...pale, thick, and dry skin,
bruises easily, rashes, changes
in skin pigmentation, thin hair
that is tightly curled, and pulls
out easily, achy joints, bones
are soft and tender, gums bleed
easily, tongue may be swollen
or shriveled and cracked, night
blindness and increased
sensitivity to light and
glare.(John Hopkins Children's
Center, n.d.). These symptoms
highlight the many personal
effects malnutrition has on the
body. Also, these symptoms
majorly impact everyday life
and can hinder an individual
from accomplishing the
simplest of activities.

What is the treatment for


malnutrition?
Treatment of malnutrition mainly
lies on supplying the victims with
nutrients, either through surgery,
injection or consumption. One of
the solutions was described in
the Hidden Hunger: Americas
Growing Malnutrition
Epidemic article, All of us have to
have a stake in our future when it
comes to undernutrition. If we
cant eat the way we should, we
need an alternative way to
ensure we get the essential
nutrition required, such as
through food fortification or
supplementation. These
practices could ensure that every
man, women and especially
child, regardless of income level,
availability and lifestyle, has an
opportunity to reach their full
potential. (Bush and Walsh,
2015) This shows how nutrients
can be brought to the body easily
through consumption

when adding a simple


ingredient. Furthermore, this
solution is easily adjustable to
every lifestyle and can ensure
good health. In a John Hopkins
article it says, Patients who
cannot or will not eat, or who
are unable to absorb nutrients
taken by mouth, may be fed
intravenously (parenteral
nutrition) or through a tube
inserted into the
gastrointestinal (GI) tract
(enteral nutrition). and, If longterm tube feeding is necessary,
the tube may be placed directly
into the stomach or small
intestine through an incision in
the abdomen. (John Hopkins
Children's Center, n.d.) This
shows a temporary and
permanent solution to
malnutrition.

Both of these solutions allow nutritious


food to enter the easily and effectively.
Based on treatment used currently,the
invention of daily pills or injections that
supply proper nutrients would be an
efficient new treatment idea. The overall
strategy is for the treatment to be
compact and easily accessible to those
who would need it. This would mean they
would have to contain all the proper
nutrients needed to sustain healthy body
systems yet be affordable for the
consumers to buy or donated to health
center located in areas of need.

Malnutrition is not treated by just feeding someone once. The real solution is an
ongoing process of supplying the hungry with the proper nutrition. Even those who are
not hungry can still be malnourished if they are not receiving the correct amount
of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. So, next time you sit down for your next meal,
remember the significance and importance of the food you put into your body.

Cited Sources
Bush,B.&Welsh,H.(2015).HiddenHunger:AmericasGrowingMalnutritionEpidemic.Retrievedfrom
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/feb/10/nutritionhungerfoodchildrenvitaminsus
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JohnsHopkinsChildrensCenter.(n.d.).Malnutrition.Retrievedfrom
http://www.hopkinschildrens.org/Malnutrition.aspx
KnowYourEnvironment.(2004).HungerandtheEnvironment:Food,Policies,andPolitics.Retrievedfrom
http://sks.sirs.com/cgibin/hstarticledisplay?id=SCA42220
7547&artno=0000186969&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=Malnutrition&title=Hunger%20and%20the%20Environment%3A%
20Food%2C%20Policies%2C%20and%20Politics&res=Y&ren=N&gov=N&lnk=Y&ic=N
[Malnourishedchildsittingdown].Retrievedfrom
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Schiavi,G.(2014).Report:OverweightandUnderNourishedLivingSidebySide.Retrievedfrom
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7547&artno=0000367687&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=Malnutrition%20epidemic&title=Report%3A%20Overweight%20a
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globalscale33794632.jpg

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