Malnutrition can be simply defined as a state of poor nutrition resulting from insufficient (under-nutrition) or excessive nutrient intake (over-nutrition).
Although it is fortunate that the majority of Malaysian children receive adequate nutrition, there is still a significant percentage suffering from malnutrition in both the urban and rural communities.
Excessive intake of nutrients coupled with a sedentary lifestyle lead to overweight problems, while inadequate nourishment causes a child to become underweight. If a child is seriously deprived of essential nutrients for a long period of time, he may suffer from stunted growth.
The consequences of malnutrition, however, are not just limited to weight issues. Both under- or overweight have far-reaching impacts on a child’s growth, development and long-term health.
There are many causes of malnutrition in children. Most of the time malnutrition is not due to excess or a lack of food, but to poor feeding practices. Therefore, it is vital for parents to be aware of the causes and consequences of malnutrition, and to constantly monitor their children’s eating habits.
In this issue, we bring you experts’ insights and tips on this matter. So, read on and learn what you can do to ensure your child receives adequate nutrition for healthy growth and development.
Did you know that…
Among 22,032 Malaysian children aged between 0 and 18 years:
5.4% are overweight.
13.2% are underweight.
15.8% are stunted.
Source: Third National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS III), 2006.
For full article, please download our PDF below:
Comments