Nutrition - Alasthemovement.org

2.7 million children have never attended school: 2,700,000 children in Latin America and the Caribbean have never attended school and, on average, 27% of children drop out of school before completing elementary school.

THE ISSUES

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Nutrition

GOOD NUTRITION IS ESSENTIAL TO REDUCE POVERTY AND BOOST ECONOMIC GROWTH
Providing good nutrition during the earliest years of life has proven to be an economic investment that creates long-term economic growth. Malnutrition is one of the most important factors in loss of development potential for children, resulting in economic and social costs to both individuals and society. Reducing malnutrition by 1 percent achieves a 4 percent decrease in poverty.

Good nutrition is the cornerstone for survival, health and development. Well-nourished women run fewer risks during pregnancy and childbirth. Well-nourished children perform better at school, become healthier adults, can offer a better start in life to their own children and become more productive members of society.

Children in poor, indigenous, and rural communities suffer the worst rates of stunting (low height for age, an indicator of chronic malnutrition). In Latin America, prevalence of stunting is 3 to 6 times greater among children that are underweight, indicating nutritional deficiencies. Research shows that the main cause of malnutrition is not lack of food, but a combination of factors such as poor maternal health, inappropriate infant care and feeding practices, lack of access to safe water and sanitation. It is essential for the economic future of Latin America to reduce malnutrition, especially between 0 and 3 years of age. Nutritional programs will require systematic action at the national, program and community levels to ensure that combating malnutrition is a national priority, supported by an appropriate multi-sectoral agenda and effective nutrition programs in at-risk communities.

BREASTFEEDING

Children’s optimal growth and development requires adequate nutrition and begins in utero with adequately nourished mothers. During the first months of life, breastfeeding plays a critical role in providing children with the necessary nutrients for development and is believed to reduce the chances of early post-natal stunting. Breastfeeding both insures adequate nutrition and healthy infant development through stimulation with attachment as part of the breastfeeding process.

CONSEQUENCES OF MALNUTRITION
Stunting, being underweight and wasting are three indicators of chronic malnutrition. Malnutrition has been estimated to be the underlying cause for around half of all child deaths worldwide. In addition to its devastating impact on child mortality, nutritional deficiencies, especially for children under three years old, have long-term damaging effects on cognitive development. It is essential to reduce malnutrition, especially in children between 0 and 3 years of age to ensure proper brain development. If malnutrition sets in during this period, as is predominantly the case, the consequences are irreversible.

Twenty percent of children under the age of 5, or the equivalent of almost 9 million children in Latin America, suffer from poor nutrition as well as vitamin and mineral deficiencies and almost 50 percent of children under the age of five suffer from anemia. The consequences are poor physical and cognitive development, poor school performance, poor immune system response; and they are more likely to die from common childhood ailments like diarrhea and respiratory infection, all of which can contribute to chronic illness. Frequent illness saps the nutritional status of those who survive, locking them into a vicious cycle of recurring sickness and faltering growth so they are never able to reach their full potential.