Seeing your child’s first smile, watching their initial wobbly steps, and hearing their child begin to form words are all precious milestones that gladdens the heart. This growth comes from nutrients in foods children eat.
Children’s food should be rich in essential nutrients delivered in the right balance. When this balance is not maintained or achieved, it can lead to malnutrition which affects the child’s well-being in several ways.
Here are some key facts about malnutrition in Nigerian children:
- Approximately 37% of children (6 million) experience stunting (a condition whereby the child is too short for the age)
- 18% of children are affected by wasting (indicating low weight for height)
- 29% of children are underweight (which includes both acute and chronic malnutrition)
What is malnutrition?
Malnutrition is an abnormality in nutrition. It occurs when there’s an imbalance in a child’s nutrient intake, either because the child takes too much or too little calories, carbohydrates, vitamins, proteins, or minerals. Malnutrition includes both undernutrition and overnutrition, which are consequences of either deficiencies or excesses of vital nutrients.
Why are some children malnourished?
Children are more likely to have shortages of both macronutrients and micronutrients due to their increased nutritional needs during growth. When they don’t get adequate food or don’t eat as they should, they may become malnourished.
The consequences of malnutrition in children under five can include being underweight, stunted, or wasted, with or without edema (previously referred to as marasmus and kwashiorkor, respectively), and in severe cases, it can lead to death.
Malnutrition represents a critical outcome of food insecurity among children in this age group. Acute malnutrition can result in illness, death, and long-term disabilities, as well as hinder cognitive and physical development, while also increasing the likelihood of concurrent infections.
Each year, around 50 million children globally experience acute malnutrition. Despite the availability of treatment, accessing it can be difficult.
Types of Malnutrition
Malnutrition can be categorised primarily into two groups:
- Overnutrition
- Undernutrition
Overnutrition
Overnutrition occurs when your child consumes more nutrients than their bodies need, resulting in excess body fat and related health risks.
Children who are classified as overweight or obese face increased risks for a variety of health issues later in life, including:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Certain types of cancer
The occurrence of overnutrition is rising globally, with reports from unicef indicating that 5.7% of children under five were classified as overweight in 2020, an increase from 5.4% in 2000.
Undernutrition
Photo by Cate Turton / Department for International Development on Flickr(CC BY 2.0).
Undernutrition is when a child is not eating enough food or the right foods to meet their body's needs for energy and good health.
Undernutrition poses a serious threat to the health and development of children. It can result in severe outcomes like protein-energy malnutrition, including a greater vulnerability to infections, hindered cognitive and physical growth, and, in extreme cases, death.
Undernutrition can be further classified into four categories:
- Wasting (defined as low weight-for-height)
- Stunting (defined as low height-for-age)
- Underweight (defined as low weight-for-age)
- Deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals
Each of these conditions can have a profound impact on a child's health and development.
