Nutritional Dual Burden Case Study

Despite the vast research on nutrition and health, malnutrition is still a major fatality in this present day. Policymakers, social scientist and medical experts have expressed alarm about the growing problem. While most agree that the issue deserves attention, consensus dissolves around how to respond and resolve the problem. Malnourishment continues to be a primary health liability in developing nations such as Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. It is globally the most significant risk factor for illness and death, predominantly with hundreds of millions of pregnant women

Development of children begins at conception however the parent’s health and lifestyle prior to conception could influence a baby development.

Receiving good prenatal care is extremely important for an expecting mother. The prenatal period has a great impact on the newborn's health. Low birth weight is a problem among a certain population of newborns. It is crucial to understand the conditions in poverty and its

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.

Challenges of maintaining proper nutrition for the economically disadvantaged in the US. Studies show there is a clear difference in economic classes in regards to nutrition and food consumption. Low income groups find it very difficult to eat a healthy diet, and are experiencing food poverty or food insecurity. There are many reason for food poverty the main problems to eating a healthy diet are cost, accessibility, and education. The combination of these three problems creates areas in cities, counties and rural areas called food deserts.

The babies need their mother to be eating nutritional diet, so that they are developing correctly.

Various reports and research have attested to this phenomena (Food Research Action Center, 2015). Both hunger and obesity were defined using USDA terminology: Low food insecurity- Households reduced the quality, variety, and desirability of their diets, but the quantity of food intake and normal eating patterns were not substantially disrupted. High food insecurity- At times during the year, eating patterns of one or more household members were disrupted and food intake reduced because the household lacked money and other resources for food (USDA, 2006). Obesity, as having a body mass index over 30, results from factors such as genetics, lifestyle, and access to food (USDA, National Institute of Food and Nutrition, 2015). The target group was identified as school aged

Anything a mother consumes will affect her baby’s health, either positively or negatively. After the sperm enters into the egg, instantly, the baby begins to grow inside of the placenta, which is inside of the mothers’ uterus. “The placenta has been described as a pancake-shaped organ that attaches to the inside of the uterus and is connected to the fetus by the umbilical cord.” As the placenta produces the hormones for the baby, it also supplies the blood to the fetus from the mother. The most important element that allows the fetus to grow is the umbilical cord. The umbilical cord is composed of three blood vessels that attach to the placenta and the fetus. All of these components help the baby’s growth, but the amniotic sac, which is composed of amniotic fluid, helps protect the fetus. The amniotic fluid helps the baby maintain a regular body temperature that

Infants and children are more inclined to have lower birth weights than those of a higher income, this is because of the available resources during prenatal care. The major aspect of physical development is nutrition. Nutrition aids in stabilities of energy, moods and helps aid the growth in organs and bones. With low income or low social status, food choices are limited based off of affordability. Fresh fruits, meats and vegetables are more expensive than processed choices.

The lack of growth and development begin to occur when the body does not take in enough calcium. Calcium is very important part for the body to function because it has the function to keep bones strong and without calcium the bones will become weak and break easily. Also, it will lead to stunted growth in the body and the person will not be able to grow properly. In addition, malnutrition can occur when children or the poor community does not get enough to eat and is requiring the need of nutritions and other minerals. Suffering from malnutrition will cause extensive amount of disease to manifest in the human body. Also, it will be harder for the body to fight off disease and people will become more vulnerable to catching different type of diseases. Pedro A Sanchez stated, “The death rate from diseases such as lower respiratory infection, malaria, and measles…Undernourished people infected with HIV/AIDS develop the full symptoms” (1). The poor population is longing for the access to healthy food in order to prevent terrible disease like this from occurring. It is very hard to treat and prevent these different variety of disease from happening without having the money to get the proper care and medical attention.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program also helps subside some of the negative health effects caused by food insecurity for participants. Food insecurity during a woman’s pregnancy can increase the chances of birth defects and cause maternal depression (Gundersen et al., 2011). Children who live in a food insecure household can have anemia, low nutrient intake, greater cognitive and behavioral problems, higher levels of aggression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. Adults with lower nutrient intake can experience physical and mental problems, such as depression and greater levels of stress. Food insecurity can also increase the chances of developing diabetes and becoming overweight. The elderly are more likely to be in poor health

From the moment a newborn is birthed into the world they begin their physical development at a larger rate than any other period of their life. The first year of life is full of rapid physical growth in all aspects such as weight, height, limb lengths and even the physical growth of internal organs. On average, the birth weight of a newborn will double by the time they reach six months old and triple at the end of their first year of life. While weight is steadily increasing there is also an expansion of the babies head and chest as internal organs such as the brain, heart, and lungs develop as well. (Infancy, 2016)

Deficiencies of vitamin A and zinc result in deaths; deficiencies of iodine and iron, together with stunting, contribute to children not reaching their developmental potential. Iron and calcium deficiencies can contribute substantially to maternal deaths. Maternal iron deficiency is related with babies with low weight (<2500 g) at birth. Nutrients like iron, proteins, copper, folate, zinc, iodine and certain fats play important role in building the brain during pregnancy. Zinc, in particular, supports the development of the autonomic nervous system, the hippocampus and the cerebellum. Iron impacts the myelination of the nerve fibers which affects the brain’s processing speed. Long chain PUFA’s, typically found in breast

Pregnancy is a basic time of versatility whereby fetal improvement might be fundamentally affected by natural components, for example, maternal supplements and hormones, and in addition the acquired hereditary profile. There is a solid potential for these elements to apply an enduring effect on the posterity's development and wellbeing into adulthood.

Development of a fetus in the womb is a remarkable period of rapid growth and creation for the young life to be. There are a myriad of outside forces that can influence the advancement of the zygote in its journey from fertilized egg to blastocyst, embryo and fetus. These outside forces can have profound implications for the mind and body of the young life both immediate and throughout the lifespan. Exposure to these environmental hazards can come from many different sources, some known and predominantly understood, others are not. These all can lead to vastly different outcomes for the child while in utero and after birth. To be able to fully understand the mechanics of fetal development, the outside hazards that can influence its growth