Consequences

Consequences In India, there exist several nutritional problems in the population. Undernutrition is a major problem which is reflected in the high numbers of pregnant women who are undernourished and have small babies with low birth weight as well as young children (below years of age) who are Nutritional Well- being Food and Nutrient Security Care for the Vulnerable Good Health for All Safe Environment underweight and stunted. One-third of the babies born in India are low birth weight, i.e., less than gms. Similarly, considerable percentage of women too are underweight.

There are other nutrition-related deficiencies such as iron deficiency anaemia, vitamin A deficiency and consequent blindness and iodine deficiency. Undernutrition has several negative effects on the individual. Undernutrition not only reduces body weight but has devastating effects on children’s cognitive development, immunity and can also result in disability, e.g., blindness due to vitamin A deficiency. Iodine deficiency is a threat to health and development, specially for young children and pregnant women since it results in goitre, still birth, and miscarriage in women, and deaf-mutism, mental retardation and cretinism in children.

Iron deficiency also has negative impact on health and well-being. In infants and young children, its deficiency impairs psychomotor and cognitive development, and thus adversely affects scholastic performance. It also decreases physical activity. Iron deficiency during pregnancy affects the growth of the foetus and increases risk of morbidity and mortality for the mother.

Conversely, overnutrition is also not good. Intake in excess of requirements leads to several health problems. In case of some nutrients if may lead to toxicity, and the person may become overweight and even obese. Obesity in turn increases the risk of several diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and hypertension.

In India, we face problems at both ends of the spectrum, i.e., undernutrition (nutritional deficiencies) and overnutrition (diet-related chronic, non-communicable diseases). This has been termed “double burden of malnutrition”. In our country, the fourth National Family Health Survey (NFHS- ) shows that . per cent men and .

per cent women from urban areas are overweight or obese, the percentage being much lower among rural men ( . per cent) and women ( . per cent). Nutrition and infection: Providing enough food to fulfil nutritional requirements is not adequate.

The influence of environment is also important. Nutritional status does not depend only on sufficient supply of food and nutrients but also on the person’s health status, to a great extent. Nutrition and infection are intimately interlinked. Poor nutritional status decreases resistance and immunity, and thus increases risk of infection.

On the other hand, during infection, the body loses considerable amount of its nutrient reserves (through vomiting and diarrhoea), while the nutrient requirements are actually increased. If nutrient intake is insufficient compared to the requirement due to loss of appetite or inability to eat (if there is nausea and/or vomiting), infections will affect the nutritional status adversely. Thus the risk of another infection increases, and all persons, especially children, the elderly and those undernourished are at the risk of contracting more infections/diseases. In developing countries, food-borne illnesses such as diarrhoea and dysentery are major problems since they can lead to dehydration and death.

Many of the infectious and communicable diseases are due to poor environmental sanitation, poor household, personal and food hygiene. The key therefore is to look into how these diseases can be prevented.