THE EFFECT AND CAUSES OF POOR NUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 15 YEARS A CASE STUDY OF EGOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE.
in MICRO BIOLOGY PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS on October 15, 2020CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Theoretical framework
Nutrition is the science that interprets the interaction of nutrients and other substances in food in relation to maintenance, growth, reproduction, health and disease of an organism (Amsalu, 2008). It includes food intake, absorption, assimilation, biosynthesis, catabolism, and excretion.
The diet of an organism is what it eats, which is largely determined by the availability and palatability of foods. For humans, a healthy diet includes preparation of food and storage methods that preserve nutrients from oxidation, heat or leaching, and that reduce risk of food borne illnesses.
In humans, an unhealthy diet can cause deficiency-related diseases such as blindness, anemia, scurvy, preterm birth, stillbirth and cretinism, or nutrient excess health-threatening conditions such as obesity and metabolic syndrome; and such common chronic systemic diseases as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis (Bloss et al., 2004). Poor nutrition can lead to wasting in acute cases, and the stunting of marasmus in chronic cases of malnutrition.
Poor nutrition in children is common globally and may result in both short and long term irreversible negative health outcomes. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that malnutrition accounts for 54 percent of child mortality worldwide, about 1 million children. Another estimate also by WHO states that childhood underweight is the cause for about 35% of all deaths of children under the age of five years worldwide.
The main causes are unsafe water, inadequate sanitation or insufficient hygiene, factors related to society and poverty, diseases, maternal factors, gender issues and overall poverty. Poor nutrition occurs when people do not eat (or absorb) enough nutrients to cover their needs for energy and growth, or to maintain a healthy immune system (Chinedu, 2018). Micronutrient deficiencies are a sub-category of under nutrition and occur when the body lacks one or more micronutrients (e.g. iron, iodine, zinc, vitamin A or folate). These deficiencies usually affect growth and immunity but some cause specific clinical conditions such as anaemia (iron deficiency), hypothyroidism (iodine deficiency) or xerophthalmia (vitamin A deficiency).
1.3 Statement Of Problem
Poor nutrition in children is a common global problem and may result in both short and long term irreversible negative health outcomes, it normally affect children because they are in a period of rapid growth that increases the demand for calories and proteins. In recent times poor nutrition causes a variety of different health problems in both adults and children. Poor nutrition can result from failure to eat enough or failure to choose the right kinds of foods it is in view of making recommendations on amounts to consume from each food groups to attain proper nutrition
