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Chronic undernutrition and the young
1Sustainable End of Hunger Foundation, Madina, Accra, Ghana.
Insights
Chronic undernutrition in Africa, particularly affecting children under five, stems from complex socio-economic and environmental factors. Addressing this requires integrated development planning focused on agricultural productivity and population control.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Development Studies
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Chronic undernutrition in Africa is a multifaceted issue with deep socio-economic, cultural, environmental, and political roots.
- Children under five are the most immediate victims, trapped in a cycle of maternal malnutrition, high infant mortality, and fertility.
- This cycle is exacerbated by poor health and low agricultural productivity, creating a serious and chronic problem.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the structural nature of malnutrition in Africa.
- To emphasize the need for re-evaluating existing structures impacting food security and nutritional status.
- To advocate for the integration of food and nutrition planning into national development strategies.
Main Methods:
- This study is primarily a review and analysis of the existing literature and socio-economic factors contributing to malnutrition.
- It examines the interconnectedness of various factors including agriculture, health, socio-economic policies, and population dynamics.
- Qualitative analysis of the structural impediments to nutritional well-being in the African context.
Main Results:
- Undernutrition in Africa is a complex, cyclical problem driven by interconnected factors.
- Maternal malnutrition, infant mortality, high fertility, ill-health, and low agricultural productivity form a detrimental cycle.
- Existing structures perpetuate malnutrition, necessitating critical re-evaluation.
Conclusions:
- Nutrition is an integral component of development planning due to the structural nature of hunger and malnutrition.
- Increased agricultural productivity (quantity and quality) and population control are crucial needs for the African continent.
- Prioritizing food and nutrition planning, especially for vulnerable groups like children, within national development plans is essential.
Abstract:
The problem of chronic undernutrition and its direct and indirect effects, especially in Africa are multi-faceted and integrated, and have roots in socio-economic, cultural, environmental, political, technological and other factors. In this scenario, the immediate victims are children, especially those under 5 years of age. There seems to be a vicious cycle of maternal malnutrition, infant death and high fertility as well as malnutrition, ill-health and low agricultural productivity in Africa. These make the situation serious and chronic. It means that the structures which bring about this problem need critical re-evaluation, particularly in terms of increased agricultural productivity, both in quantity and quality, and normal nutritional status. Increased production of staple and supplementary foods is now a widespread need in the African continent, as is population control. Experience has shown that nutrition is a complex and interacting phenomenon which is very much influenced by policies that affect socio-economic structures. Since the problem of hunger and malnutrition is a structural problem, nutrition may be regarded as an integral part of development planning. Higher priority may be given, therefore, to food and nutrition planning and their subsequent integration into national development plans, especially by taking into consideration the vulnerable groups which are the children in the population (Idusogie, 1977).