Chapter 8: Nutritional and Global health

Overweight and obesity measurements:

The international reference for adults is as follows. 1. 25 - 29.99 (overweight) (HB 22.7) 2. 30 - 39.99 (obese) 3. > 40 (morbid obesity)

Iron:

deficiency is associated with anemia, fatigue and weakness (sources: cooking on iron cookware)

Iodine:

deficiency is associated with goiters and not reaching full intellectual potential (sources: sea salt)

Food security:

Exists when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy, active life.

Stunting:

Failure to reach linear growth potential because of inadequate nutrition or poor health. Stunting is measured as height - for - age two z scores below the international reference.

Causes of malnutrition:

1. Food availability and utilization 2. Disease prevention 3. Quality of maternal and child care

Underlying causes of malnutrition:

1. Inadequate access to food. 2. poor health services and environment 3. inadequate care for children and women

Basic causes:

1. Inadequate education 2. resources and control 3. political/ economic factors/ structures

Overweight and obesity causes:

1. Increase in total caloric intake coupled with decrease in energy expenditure. 2. Rising global rates of obesity is being driven by global financial and trade liberalization, increased income/ socioeconomic status and urbanization. 3. Genetic and cultural factors

Conditions of wasting:

1. Lo weight - for - height 2. Caused by significant food shortage and/or disease. 3. Childhood underweight is the leading risk factor for death in under - 5 children globally.

Cycle of HARM: Stages

1. Poor mothers are unable to access food, medicine and other necessities for healthy pregnancies. **Under nourished mothers give birth to low birth weight babies 2. Infants are prone to sickness and have delayed growth 3. Children experience learning difficulties, can't focus and are at high risk of dropping out of school. 4. Malnourished teens face chronic illnesses and suffer from anemia.

Micro-nutrient Deficiencies :

1. at least half of children worldwide ages 6 months to five years suffer from one or more micro nutrient deficiencies. 2. Notable micro nutrients: *Vitamin A *Iodine *Iron

Conditions of stunting:

1. caused by long term insufficient nutrient intake and frequent infections 2. Typically ccurs before age two 3. Leads to delayed motor development, impaired cognitive function, and poor school performance. 4. Effects are irreversible 5. Nearly 1/3 of children under 5 are stunted in LMICs. 6. First 1000 days (Pregnancy through year 2)

Various forms of malnutrition:

1. stunting 2. wasting 3. micro nutrient deficiencies 4. over nutrition

(Table 8-2) Key links between Nutrition and the MDGs: Goal 2

Achieve Universal Primary Education: Children who are poverty nourished enroll in school at higher rates than undernourished children, attend school for more years and perform better while they are there than undernourished children.

Vitamin A:

Aids growth and good immune system, deficiency associated with permanent blindness (Sources: fish, eggs, carrots, broccoli) **Africa and Asia has the highest deficiency.

(Table 8 - 2) Key links between Nutrition and MDGs: Goal 6

Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases: Poor nutritional status makes people more susceptible to illness and to being sick for longer periods of time. Good nutrition is especially important for people suffering from some health conditions, such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

(Table 8- 2) Key links between Nutrition and the MDGs: Goal 1

Eradicate Poverty and Hunger: Poor nutritional status is both a cause and a consequence of poverty. Improving income and nutritional status will improve health status.

Overweight:

Excess weight relative to height; commonly measure by BMI among adults; measured as weight - for - height two z - scores above the international reference.

(Table 8 - 2) Key links between Nutrition and MDGs: Goal 5

Improve maternal health: Maternal health and pregnancy outcomes for women and for children are intimately connected to the nutritional status of the pregnant women. Some problems arise form nutritional deficits. Other are linked to overweight and obesity.

Cycle of HARM:

Lack of healthy food and proper nutrition affects every stage of life, trapping people in a cycle that passes hunger from one generation to the next.

(Table 8 -2 ) Key links between Nutrition and the MDGs: Goal 3

Promote Gender Equality and Empower women: Women suffer very high rates than undernourished children, attend school for more years, and perform better while they are there than undernourished children.

(Table 8 - 2) Key links between Nutrition and MDGs: Goal 4

Reduce child mortality: About 45 percent of all child deaths worldwide are associated with malnutrition. It will be possible to make major strides in reducing child mortality without significant improvements in the nutritional status of young children.

Food Insecurity:

The sate of being without reliable access to sufficient quantity of affordable nutritious foods.

Birthweight:

a child has a low birth weight if the child's weight at birth is below 2,500 grams.

Height - for - age:

a child is stunted if its height- for - age is two z-scores below the international reference height - for - age.

Weight - for - age:

a child is underweight if its weight is two z- scores below the international reference weight - for - age.

Weight - for - height:

a child is wasted if its weight measured in kilograms, divided by height, in meters squared, is more than two z- scores below the international reference.

Malnutrition

various forms of poor nutrition. underweight or stunting and overweight, as well as micro nutrient deficiencies are forms of malnutrition.

Wasting:

weight, measured in kilograms, divided by height in meters squared, that is two z - scores below the international reference.