Malnutrition, a Global Problem
01 Jan 2010-pp 1
TL;DR: The objectives of this study are to review the occurrence of global malnutrition, and to discuss potential solutions to this challenging problem.
Abstract: Malnutrition is a general term for medical conditions caused by an inadequate diet and poor nutrition. Hunger and malnutrition are among the major difficulties confronting many countries around the world. Malnutrition can be caused by several factors, such as the sharp increase in population (current world population is approximately 6,800,000,000), poor distribution of foods, lack of access to highly nutritious foods, and most important, lack of knowledge about healthy diets. Malnutrition can lead to other problems, such as reduced school attendance, learning capacity, spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, and it can have a negative effect on a nation’s development. The objectives of this study are: 1) to review the occurrence of global malnutrition, and 2) to discuss potential solutions to this challenging problem. For example, over three billion people are affected with micronutrient malnutrition in the developing world. Lack of micronutrient components such as iodine, zinc, vitamin A and iron can lead to maternal mortality, diseases such as HIV, and other problems. Over 146 million children under five are underweight and children often die because of malnutrition. There are many challenges to overcome malnutrition, and to provide food security for people. UNICEF, WFS and other organizations are trying to help malnourished children by sending food aid, but this is not enough, and there are still many places in which food security does not exist. According to the FAO organization, food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious foods to meet their dietary needs. So, to develop and distribute nutritious, widely available, low cost foods, which can be consumed by many people around the world is of great importance.
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01 Jan 2010
TL;DR: In this paper, a review and discussion of alternatives to traditional wheat flour, with an emphasis on improved nutritional characteristics, is presented, where alternative materials, traditional wheat flours can be fortified and their nutrient profiles enhanced.
Abstract: For centuries, cereals have been major food stuffs used all around the world; because of that, there are many different kinds of breads produced from different types of flours. Despite the variety of flours available, there are still many challenges to produce ingredients which maximize nutrient components, and with which healthier breads and other products can be produced. As studies have shown, traditional wheat flour has some nutritional deficiencies (although this is a matter of perspective), which depend on the level of consumption. Additionally, gluten intolerance and Celiac disease are growing problems. The nutritional value of breads can be enhanced through the use of a variety of alternative flours. The objective of this study is to review and discuss alternatives to traditional wheat flour, with an emphasis on improved nutritional characteristics. Oat, for instance, has been used to improve the protein and fiber content of bread. Fortification of breads with soybean flour can also dramatically improve their protein quality. Barley, flaxseed, and rye flours can be used to increase the amount of dietary fiber in breads. Dietary fiber can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, cancer, diabetes. Rye flour is recommended as an integral part of the diet as a source of biologically active substances. There are also other materials which can be used to add value to flour. One of them is DDGS, which is a co-product from the production of fuel ethanol from corn. By using alternative materials, traditional wheat flours can be fortified and their nutrient profiles enhanced.
3 citations
Cites background from "Malnutrition, a Global Problem"
...Malnutrition can lead to underweight children, anemic mothers, diseases such as marasmus, beriberi, scurvy, kwashiorkor, etc. (Pourafshar et al., 2010)....
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...Today, many countries are confronting problems such as malnutrition and micronutrient malnutrition (Pourafshar et al., 2010)....
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01 Jan 2010
TL;DR: In this article, the authors review major types of flat breads in the Middle East, and specifically discuss Iranian flatbreads, which are fundamentally the same, and the dough in all of them consists of water, yeast, baking powder, and wheat flour, but they also have some ingredients which are specific to each product.
Abstract: In Middle Eastern countries, there are many traditional products which are made from wheat; bread is the most important one, and it is eaten with almost every kind of food. The goals of this study are to 1) in general, review major types of breads in the Middle East, and 2) specifically discuss Iranian breads. There are four major Iranian flat breads; all of these are fundamentally the same, and the dough in all of them consists of water, yeast, baking powder, and wheat flour, but they also have some ingredients which are specific to each product. The first of these breads is Barbari, which is thick and oval shaped. Barbari is baked in a curved oven whose interior is covered with bricks. The second type is Lavash, which is thin, flaky and round. Lavash can be found in other Middle East countries as well. The third is Sangak, which is triangle shaped; it can be very large in size. Sangak is baked in an oven which is covered with small stones. This bread is often topped with poppy or sesame seeds. The fourth bread is Taftoon, which is thin, but it is thicker than Lavash. It is also soft and round. Additionally, there are other kinds of breads in Iran, such as Shirmal, Ghandi and Tiri, but they are not as popular. This study represents the first stage of a larger research agenda, which is aimed at enhancing both the nutritional and functional properties of traditional Middle Eastern breads, while at the same time preserving taste and consumer acceptability.
1 citations
References
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01 Jan 2004
TL;DR: According to the Population Reference Bureau each day almost a quarter-million people are added to the roughly 6.4 billion who already exist as mentioned in this paper, and if the present growth rate of 1.3 percent per year persists the population will double again within a mere 50 years.
Abstract: Entering the new millennium stark contrasts are apparent between the availability of natural resources and the demands of billions of humans who require them for their survival. According to the Population Reference Bureau each day almost a quarter-million people are added to the roughly 6.4 billion who already exist. Yet the stocks of natural resources that support human life--food fresh water quality soil energy and biodiversity--are being polluted degraded and depleted. Global population has doubled during the last 45 years. If the present growth rate of 1.3 percent per year persists the population will double again within a mere 50 years. Growth rates vary from one country or region to another. For example Chinas present population of 1.4 billion despite the governmental policy of permitting only one child per couple is still growing at an annual rate of 0.6 percent. Although China recognizes its serious overpopulation problem and recently passed legislation strengthening the policy its young age structure means that the number of Chinese will continue to increase for another 50 years. India with nearly 1.1 billion people (living on approximately one- third the land of either of the United States or China) has a current population growth rate of 1.7 percent per year. This translates to a doubling time of 41 years. Taken together the populations of China and India constitute more than one-third of the total world population. In Africa despite the AIDS epidemic the populations of most countries also are expanding. The populations of Chad and Ethiopia for example are projected to double in 21 and 23 years respectively. (excerpt)
54 citations
"Malnutrition, a Global Problem" refers background in this paper
...Global population has doubled during the last 45 years, but the quantity of food product per capita has been declining since 1984 (Pimental and Wilson, 2004)....
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Posted Content•
TL;DR: In this paper, food security has four dimensions: food availability, access to food, stability of supply and access and safe and healthy food utilization; food security is a key factor in good nutrition, along with health, sanitation and care practices.
Abstract: Food security has deteriorated since 1995 and reductions in child malnutrition are proceeding too slowly to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target for halving hunger by 2015. Three major challenges threaten to drastically complicate efforts to overcome food insecurity and malnutrition: climate change, the growing use of food crops as a source of fuel and soaring food prices. Food security has four dimensions: food availability, access to food, stability of supply and access and safe and healthy food utilization. It is a key factor in good nutrition, along with health, sanitation and care practices. Globally, one billion people are currently without access to safe water and over 2 billion lack adequate sanitation facilities. Present global food supplies are more than adequate to provide everyone with all the needed calories, if the food were equally distributed. But over 820 million people in developing countries have calorie-deficient diets; over 60 percent live in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
43 citations
Book•
01 Sep 1987
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe the characteristics, costs, and effects of four large nutrition projects and discuss more than fifty nutrition components that were incorporated into the design of agricultural, urban development, and health projects.
Abstract: Many poor countries are unable to meet the broad nutrition needs of their people, and their efforts to do so are often discredited as inappropriate or unaffordable. On the basis of experience of developing countries that have undertaken nutrition projects in collaboration with the World Bank, the author suggests efficacious, affordable ways to contend with the problem. He describes the characteristics, costs, and effects of four large nutrition projects and discusses more than fifty nutrition components that were incorporated into the design of agricultural, urban development, and health projects. The book also surveys World Bank supported research on nutrition and discusses the nutrition analyses in the World Bank's economic and sector work. The findings indicate that, although malnutrition is closely linked to a country's economic development, improvements in nutrition need not await the achievement of high economic growth. Gains can come from careful targeting of food subsidies, food supplementation programs, and nutrition education to those groups most at risk, especially poor women and children. At a time of economic stress and structural adjustment in many developing countries, these lessons provide insight into how food policy and nutrition programs can be carried out efficiently and how even in the short term vulnerable groups can be protected and can benefit from adjustment measures.
38 citations
"Malnutrition, a Global Problem" refers background in this paper
...Malnutrition has many roots, such as inadequate food supplies, limited purchasing power, poor health conditions, and incomplete knowledge about nutrition (Berg, 1987)....
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TL;DR: Plausible biomedical pathways can only be constructed for obstetric haemorrhage, anaemia in pregnancy, hypertension in pregnancy and pregnancy-related infections.
Abstract: Objective To review the association between major causes of maternal mortality and vitamin A, trying to determine if these associations are causal in nature, and to highlight possible biological pathways that may explain vitamin A effects. Design Literature review, observational studies and clinical trials. The strength of association was determined by applying Bradford Hill criteria of causality. Results In a vitamin A deficient population, vitamin A is essential for adequate treatment of anaemia. While vitamin A does not seem to be capable of preventing uterine atony, obstetric or surgical trauma, which are important causes of haemorrhage, it might be capable of preventing or decreasing coagulopathy. Possible effects on the placenta as regards implantation, site and size are not clear. As regards pregnancy-related infections, vitamin A supplementation can improve wound healing by decreasing fibrosis and increasing transforming growth factor-beta (TFG-beta). It can increase resistance to infection by increasing mucosal integrity, increasing surface immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and enhancing adequate neutrophil function. If infection occurs, vitamin A can act as an immune enhancer, increasing the adequacy of natural killer (NK) cells and increasing antibody production. beta-carotene in its provitamin form can act as an antioxidant by decreasing endothelial cell damage (the pathognomonic feature of pre-eclampsia) and promote the vasodilator effect of nitric oxide that might bring about a better outcome of toxaemia in pregnancy. It is unlikely that vitamin A or beta-carotene has an effect on obstructed labour. Conclusions Plausible biomedical pathways can only be constructed for obstetric haemorrhage, anaemia in pregnancy, hypertension in pregnancy and pregnancy-related infections. A 40% reduction in the maternal mortality ratio, as observed in Nepal, is unlikely to be solely explained through the aforementioned pathways.
34 citations
01 Jan 1999
TL;DR: Overcoming Malnutrition in a New Era: Conclusions and Lessons is a response to the challenge of malnutrition in the post-Cold War era and its implications for child survival and development.
Abstract: Foreword Preface List of Contributors Part I: Malnutrition and Hunger: The Challenge * Eliminating Hunger After the End of The Cold War: Progress and Constraints * Nutritional Status: The Master Key to Child Survival * How Did We Get Here? A History of International Nutrition * The Culture of Nutrition Practice in a New Development Era Part II: Scaling Up the Grassroots * Scaling up, Scaling Down: NGO Paths to Overcoming Hunger * Scaling Up a Poverty Alleviation and Nutrition Program in Vietnam * Evaluation of the Hearth Program in Haiti: Mothers Help Scale Up a Nutrition Program * Equity and Sustainability of the Health System: A Community Agenda in the Central Region of Togo Part III: Assessment in Partnership with the Grassroots * Increasing Micronutrient Intakes in Rural Bangladesh: An NGO's Search for Program Sustainability * Community Based Assessment of Nutritional Problems: Scaling up Local Actions, Scaling Down Top-Down Management * Rapid Food and Livelihood Security Assessments: A Comprehensive Approach for Diagnosing Nutrition Insecurity * Nutrition Capacity Building: Reflections on an Application of the Nutrition Program Constraints Assessment in South Africa Part IV: Scaling Down the Summit * Opportunities for the Summit: Improving the Practice of Public Nutrition * Overcoming Malnutrition in a New Era: Conclusions and Lessons
30 citations
"Malnutrition, a Global Problem" refers background in this paper
...and food deprivation happens when an individual does not consume or absorb enough food energy (Marchione, 1999)....
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...…an area is not sufficient for the whole population in that area, food poverty refers to the situation in which households cannot obtain enough food to meet the needs of all their members and food deprivation happens when an individual does not consume or absorb enough food energy (Marchione, 1999)....
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