Childhood Stunting: Impediments To Human Development

Malnutrition is a problem that is estimated to contribute to more than one third of death among children (WHO, 2014). Under nutrition is a form of malnutrition; it occurs when nutritional reserves are exhausted or nutritional intake is insufficient to satisfy daily needs or increased metabolic demands (Jarvis, 2013, p. 175). Prolonged periods in this state can lead to stunted growth which is associated with lower

Starvation is a global concern that affects millions of children every day. It is also the top cause of death for children under the age of four, it takes the lives of more than 3.5 million children every year. Furthermore, without a treatment,

Children in need of these nutrients can suffer from stunted growth never reaching potential height. Statistics have shown stunted growth children score significantly lower on intelligence tests than do normal children. Hunger interferes with physical, emotional and academic development. According to Freedom from Hunger, “more than 4 million children will die due to hunger related causes.” NASW(2016) shows an important connection food security and nutrition play in physical and mental health.

Like any country, there are a variety of health concerns. About 50 percent of the children are malnourished-phsycially and mentally. When people experience malnourishment, often times it can stunt people’s growth as such a young age. Some illnesses are heart disease, kidney damage, and anemia, which can lead into adulthood.

“What does malnutrition look like? Most of us think of bloated bellies or skin and bones, but the appearance of a hungry child might surprise you. Internationally hunger often stunts growth. Imagine a 9-year-old who appears to be only 5” (“Feed the Children.” Feed). Almost 1 billion kids worldwide live in poverty and 1 in 4 children around the world suffer from malnutrition that stunts growth (“Feed the Children.” Give). This is a very big problem not only in America but everywhere else, malnutrition is the cause of almost half of child deaths each year around the world (“Feed the Children.” Give). It is close to impossible for a malnourished child to recover from diarrhea or to fight off a small illness because their immune system is just simply too weak (“Feed the Children.”

In the United States childhood obesity is the 21st century epidemic and will be for a long time. In the past 3 decades childhood obesity has been on the rise, and currently one and three children is obese. Only 2 percent of the children in the U.S have a healthy diet. Moreover, obesity rates are much higher in children than in adults, and it is the production and promotion of unhealthy foods as well as lack of physical activity that account for this disparity. It is one of the top health concerns facing children and parents in the U.S. Children that are obese face possible health concerns in the future. “The United States, Brazil, China, Russia and other countries have seen the rise of obesity in children more than adults.”20 The United Nations has 48 least developing countries that are still fighting childhood hunger; however, with globalization it has made the world more productive, wealthier, and with that body fat, weight, health and wealth are linked together.

⅓ of all children are irreversibly stunted due to chronic malnutrition. Chronic malnutrition, or stunting, is another form of growth failure. Chronic malnutrition occurs over time, unlike acute malnutrition. A child who is stunted or chronically malnourished often appears to be normally proportioned but is actually shorter than normal for his/her age. Even before the earthquake, 1.9 million people were 'food insecure', meaning they needed assistance to stave off hunger. Only 50 percent of Haiti’s population has access to safe drinking water. Some 55 percent of Haiti's 9 million people live below the poverty line of US$1 a

A child’s physical development is likely to be affected as they will not grow and thrive at the appropriate rate, becoming under developed as well as under nourished.

Malnutrition associated with children under the age of 5 in Texas will be examined in an effort to address and promote health and disease prevention by targeting the root of the problem in conjunction with a decrease in the global burden of disease which results in morbidity and mortality. The long term objective is to eradicate malnutrition. In order to do so it is essential to give special attention to the trends and percentiles of low birth weight babies and low weight preschoolers. Body mass index and growth stun will be taken into consideration as well. Within the city of Chicago there are target neighborhoods that are in desperate need of assistance. It is important to follow the resources that are available for the children and stay

By the same token, the hunger in which the children had to endure contributes to the deterioration in health status of the residential school victims. At the schools, the kids are unfed subsequently, being deprived of essteial nutrients. The lack of food equates to loss of weight and children getting sick due to eating inedible food item. In fact, Langevin (2012) writes that children began to fend for themselves, going down by the prairies to trap gophers and roast them for supplemental nutrients. One aspects of the novella that illustrates the story behind the undernourishment of the children is when Chanie sees the river and could not be more ecstatic to drink it. Chanie is so thirsty and dehydrated as stated “The fish Belly who teaches us

Unlike many other countries where their levels of health concerns may be low, Latin America has a high rate of growth stunting, which is when a person is very short for their age. Although income poverty has not changed very much over the years, there has been many improvements in child health and nutrition. Many of the population of Latin American countries are still faced with economic decline.

Approximately, 22 million children worldwide are born with low birth weight every year, representing 16% of all the births (UNICEF, 2013).These rates are higher in developing countries i.e. Asia and Africa. According to UNICEF

According to the World Health Organization (2013), nearly 7 million children under the age of five died in 2012. Most of these deaths are “due to preventable conditions: malnutrition, diarrhea, pneumonia, perinatal and neonatal complications, and communicable infectious diseases” (Garfunkel, 2011, p. 260). Currently, only 15% of countries with high child mortality are on pace to meet the Millennium Development Goal target (Chan, 2011). Some of the major barriers in

When a child is overall healthy and all their needs are adequately met, heredity governs their height and rate of growth. In fact, body weights are greatly influenced by genetics. In cases where a child does not receive proper nutrition or was plagued by illness, their growth is often affected; however, typically children “catch up” and manage to grow up to a more average size

Among the many fights against poverty, improving children’s’ health is one of the major responsibilities. A healthy child becomes a healthy adult, a person who has the ability to create a better life for them, the people around them, their community, and their countries. One of the core UNICEF objectives is to improve the health of the children of the world.