Nutrition/Malnutrition in Latin America

Nutrition/Malnutrition in Latin America

There are many initiatives to take on malnutrition in Latin America. The countries that are most affected are El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.  Together they account for 96% of the regions chronic malnourished children under the age of 5.   Malnutrition contributes directly to increased poverty and to the country's lack of economic growth.  

In 2006, the world bank organized a workshop in conjunction with other world organizations to develop strategies to aid in community-based programs for mothers and infants under 2 years of age.  

“Well-nourished women run fewer risks during pregnancy and childbirth.  Well-nourished children perform better at school, become healthier adults, and can offer a better start in life to their own children"     - Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, First Lady of Honduras

The research shows that the main cause of malnutrition in Central America is not lack of food, but a combination of factors such as poor maternal health, inappropriate infant care and feeding practices, and lack of access to safe water and sanitation. 

The workshop helped to define five initiatives being to fight malnutrition:

1) Prevention - through growth monitoring and the linking of high-risk cases to medical specilaists

2) Prioritizing the poor, rural and indigenous populations where malnutrition is concentrated and targeting mothers and children in the first two years of life.

3) Educating parents about hygiene, the importance of monitoring their children’s height and weight, and child care feeding practices, including exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life

4) Action at the national, program and community levels, "supported by an appropriate multisectoral agenda and effective nutrition programs in at-risk communities"

5) The monitoring and evaluation of programs

I felt that this issue was important because I have seen first hand the effects of malnutrition on a child and the educational delays it has on a child.  As an advocate of young children and their families it is important be interested in all issues that they may be facing and nutrition/malnutrition is a topic that I now know more about.

  

References

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/LACEXT/0,,contentMDK:21161481~menuPK:258559~pagePK:2865106~piPK:2865128~theSitePK:258554,00.html  

http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P077756/guatemala-maternal-infant-health-nutrition?lang=en

http://books.google.com/books?id=teoLnrgQVkwC&pg=PA40&dq=nutrition/malnutrition+in+Latin+America&hl=en&sa=X&ei=CieYUcqSG42DqQHc-oDwBA&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAQ