Child Development and Public Health

Nutrition/malnutrition

Nutrition plays a very important role in the development of a young child.  The

foods that they eat provides the energy that their bodies need to function.  Many

times I see young mothers only giving their little children junk food, which

is not good for them all the time.   Whether or not children are well-nourished

during their first years of life can have a profound effect on their health status, as

well as their ability to learn, communicate, think analytically, socialize effectively

and adapt to new environments and people.  Good nutrition is the first line of

defense against numerous childhood diseases, which can leave their mark on a

child for life.  In regards to cognitive development, when there is not enough

food, the body has to make a decision about what to do with the food that is

available, which means survival comes first and growth comes second. 

Malnutrition at an early age leads to reduced physical and mental development

during childhood.  Even if children get enough to eat, they will become

malnourished  if the food they eat does not provide the proper amounts of

nutrients, vitamins and minerals to meet the daily nutritional requirements.     

When children are undernourished, this affects school performance.

South Asia

South Asia has experienced high economic growth during the last decade. South Asia, however, still has both the highest rates and the largest numbers of undernourished children in the world.   Poverty is often the underlying cause of child malnutrition.  The high economic growth experienced by South Asian countries has not made an impact on the nutritional status of South Asian children.  Over a third of adult women in South Asia are underweight.  South Asia’s undernourishment problem has many factors, including the following: Low birth weight, infant and young child feeding practices, poor household hygiene, and status of women in society.  South Asia suffers from high rates of child malnutrition and has made little progress in the past 20 years.   I do not know what can be done to help these poor children, because basically it stems from the eating habits of the parents. 

In the future I will research ways in which I can help young children to become more aware of their eating habits in order to help them to develop at normal levels.  I will send brochures home that will educate the parents as well.  I will also focus on this topic in parent meetings.