Impact of Nutrition Education and healthy growth

Nutrition is a key factor in the growth of education and health of a nation. A student in good health is a productive student. Good nutrition is increasingly seen as an investment in human capital that gives returns now and in the future, as poor diet is a treat to the nation. The overall loss of social productivity in 1990 is caused by four overlapping types of malnutrition â ?? stunting and disorders related to iodine iron and vitamin A deficiency ?? amounted to almost 46 million years of production disabilities â ?? lifeless power raises returns on investment in education and health care.

A body of literature observed that there is a sharp decline in knowledge in Nigeria in 1980 in contrast to recent years. Some attributed this decline to malnutrition during the past civil war. One researcher noted that in the 1980s, Nigeria had the lowest number of native engineers of all countries of the Third World. The teaching of English, which is the language of education beyond primary school, had reached such levels that the poor university professors have complained about their inability to understand written work of their students due to the inefficiency of communication, there are many charlatan graduates and workers in the country. In 1990, the education crisis was such that it was expected that in a few years to come, there would be a lack of staff to perform essential services in the country. This requires serious attention before losses of the nation throughout its skilled workforce. I categories these problems in two major nutritional factors, the problem of undernutrition and malnutrition. The purpose of this writing â ?? is to examine the impact of nutrition on the steps past and present and necessary taken to stop the situation. It will also provide relevant solutions to the problem.

Nutritional problems:

Nigeria as a country is characterized by two major nutritional problems including malnutrition and micronutrients. Others have little impact and can be booked at the moment.
Malnutrition is characterized by inadequate intake of macronutrients. It often begins in utero and may extend throughout the life cycle. It also covers the generations. Malnutrition occurs during pregnancy, childhood and adolescence, and has a negative impact on the cumulative birth weight of future babies. A baby who suffered intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) as a fetus is actually born from malnutrition, and has a much higher risk of dying in infancy. The consequences of being born malnourished extend into adulthood. During infancy and early childhood, frequent or prolonged infections, and inadequate intake of nutrients (particularly energy, iron, protein, vitamin A and zinc) may be added to the contribution of IUGR in kindergarten underweight and stunted. In the Nigerian situation infants after the period of exclusive breastfeeding followed weaning which consist of pap, akamu, Ogi, or koko and is made from corn (Zee Mays), millet (Pennisetum americanum) or Guinea corn (Sorghum spp.). People belonging to lower income groups rarely eat meat, eggs or fish to their children, due to socioeconomic factors, taboos, and ignorance.

In Anambra State, Nigeria, Agu observed that pap contained only 0.5% protein and less than 1% fat, compared to 9% protein and 4% fat in corn d origin. This is usually due to poor transformation. Akinele Omotola and studied the consumption of energy and protein for infants and children from low-income group. They reported that nearly a third to half of the infants suffered various degrees of malnutrition and 10% were wasted and stunted. A more recent survey conducted by Nigerian National Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in 1990 placed the proportion of underweight children under five years (those below â ?? 2SD weight-for age) to 36% of which 12% were severely underweight. (below -3). The prevalence of stunting (below 2 â ?? â ?? height SD â ?? for age) was 43% with 22% severe stunting (below â ?? 3SD) while that levels of wasting and severe wasting were 9% and 2% respectively. In 1986, in Ondo State, Nigeria DHS survey of children aged 6 to 36 months is 28% prevalence of underweight, 32% for stunting and 7% for losing .
For adults and older children, it is usually possible to achieve adequate protein ?? energy intake by increasing the daily intake of low nutritional value starches. For infants and small children, however, the volume of traditional diets may be too large to allow the child to ingest all the necessary food to meet its energy needs. An infant aged four to six months should grits of 920g to meet the daily energy requirements (740 kcal) and protein (13g). This is an impossible task, considering the size of the stomach ?? s Facta.

President Olusegun Obasanjo has rightly observed that nearly half of children aged 7-13 in Nigeria are still underweight. Many children and adults go to bed hungry and some take one meal a day, consisting mainly of carbohydrates.

Micronutrients is another hard to break into the field of nutrition. It is the lack of vitamins and essential minerals. It can be observed among both rural and urban populations in Nigeria. Lack of vitamins and minerals lead to irreversible loss to the child's physical and mental development. In addition to the indirect effects on the mother, micronutrient deficiencies during pregnancy have serious implications for the developing fetus. Disorders of iodine deficiency can cause fetal brain damage or birth (mental retardation, delayed motor development) and stunting. Iodine deficiency during fetal development and childhood has been shown to reduce the rate of IQ by 10-15 points. Foliage deficiency can cause neural tube and other birth defects, premature birth, and both iron deficiency anemia and vitamin A deficiency can have important implications for the future Infanta ?? s morbidity and mortality risk, vision, cognitive development, reduce their ability to concentrate and participate fully in school and socially interact and develop. It is on record that 40% of children under 5 suffer vitamin A deficiency It is the leading cause of preventable severe visual impairment and blindness in children. The most vulnerable is a high percentage of pre-school children and pregnant women are anemic. This problem of two nutrition are huge in the situation of Nigeria have a great impact on the economy and social life of the country.

THE EFFECT OF NUTRITION ON THE NATIONAL EDUCATION:

Nutrition has a dynamic and synergistic relationship with economic growth through education. Behrman cites three studies suggesting that, by facilitating cognitive achievement, child nutrition and schooling can significantly increase wages. In utero, infant and child nutrition affects later cognitive achievement and learning capacity during school years, ultimately increasing the quality of education acquired as a child, adolescent and adult. Parental education affects in utero, infant and child nutrition directly through the quality of care (mainly maternal) and indirectly through increased household incomes. Human capital development, mainly through education, received the attention it deserves as a key to economic development, but early childhood nutrition has yet to obtain the required emphasis as a necessary facilitator education and human capital development.

Recent research shows that early childhood nutrition plays a key role in cognitive development, supported capacity and ultimately the welfare of households. For example, the protein - energy deficiency malnutrition (PEM), as manifested in stunting is associated with lower cognitive development and implementation of education; Low birth weight is linked to cognitive deficiencies; Iodine deficiency during pregnancy adversely affects the mental development of their children can cause delayed maturation and diminished intellectual performance; Iron deficiency can cause learning ability immediate and sustainable reduction. This goes a long way to prove that nutrition has a significant impact on the national education that Nigeria fully knows this ugly impact now and in the times to come.

EFFECT OF NUTRITION ON GROWTH OF HEALTH:

A nation of health is a rich country. Nutrition has a great impact on the growth of all ?? nationa especially as we can see in the situation in Nigeria. Inadequate intake of protein and energy as well as key micronutrient deficiencies such as iodine, vitamin A and iron are also key factors in the morbidity and mortality of children and adults. Poorly fed children also disabled for life and weakened the immune system.

In addition, malnutrition is associated with disease and poor health, which places an additional burden on households and health care systems. The disease affects the development ?? s Persona from a very early age. Gastroenteritis, respiratory infections and malaria are the most common and most serious diseases that can affect the development in the first three years of life. In factions affect the development of ?? childrenâ reducing their food intake; causing loss of nutrients; or increased nutrient demands because of fever.

Malnutrition also plays an important role in morbidity among adults. The link between chronic disease morbidity and mortality, on one hand, and body mass index (BMI), the other has been recognized and analyzed in developed countries primarily to determine the risk of life insurance. A study on Nigerian men and women showed mortality rates among chronically energy â ?? Infirm Persons that are slightly, moderately and severely underweight 40, 140 and 150 percent more energy than the rate among non-chronically ?? impaired people.
A lack of micronutrients also contributes significantly to the burden of disease. Iron deficiency is associated with malaria, intestinal parasites and chronic infections. Chronic iodine deficiency causes goitre in adults and children and also affects mental health. Vitamin A deficiency significantly increases the risk of serious illness and death from common childhood infections, particularly diarrheal diseases and measles. In areas where vitamin A deficiency exists, children are on average 50 percent more likely to suffer from acute measles. A UN report says that improving vitamin A status has been the reduction of mortality in children aged one to five.

ASSESSMENT EFFORTS present and the past:

There have been a series of bold step towards finding solutions by government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to eradicate bad nutrition and its effect responded to both the present and the past, although some abortions because of poor governance and economic decline that characterized the 1980s, to trace this chronologically. In 1983, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) began providing assistance to federal departments and the Nigerian state of health to develop and implement family planning programs and child survival . This focus has been in three areas, but especially in the area of government and social services. It will also focus on catalyzing growth and leverage NGOs working in the community and at the national level in support of health care and democratization. USAID has committed and $ 135 million for bilateral assistance programs for the period 1986 to 1996 that Nigeria has undertaken a structural adjustment program initial success, but later abandoned. Plans to commit 150 million dollars assistance from 1993 to 2000 were interrupted by strains in us ?? Nigeria relationships over human rights violations, the transition to democracy has failed, and a lack of cooperation on the part of the Nigerian government on the fight against â ?? narcotics trafficking issues. Â ?? to the environment 1990a ?? these problems have resulted in the reduction of US identity activities that could benefit the military government.

In 1987, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), under the lead researcher, Dr. Kenton Dashiell, launched an ambitious attempt to Nigeria to fight against malnutrition. They encourage using nutritious economic soy in food every day. They further stated that soybeans are about 40% protein â ?? more than any other the common source of vegetable or animal food found in Africa. With the addition of maize, rice and other grains for soybeans, the resulting protein meets the standards of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Soybeans also contain about 20% oil which is 85% unsaturated and cholesterol. While this is a great program for the reduction of malnutrition began the period, many socio-economic thorns hampered its functioning during this period.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in 1987 estimated there were 3 million cases of Guinea worm in Nigeria about 2 percent of the global total of 140 million cases making Nigeria the country with the largest number of cases of Guinea worm. In the affected areas were estimated Guinea worm and related complications to be the main cause of work and school absenteeism.

In August 1987, the federal government launched its first primary health care plan (SSP), including President Ibrahim Babangida announced that the cornerstone of health policy. Designed to reach all of the national population, its main stated objectives included accelerated the development of health care personnel; improving the collection and monitoring of health data; ensured the availability of essential drugs in all regions of the country; implementation of an expanded program of immunization (EPI); Improved â ?? nutritionâ ?? throughout the country; promoting health awareness of developing a health program of the national family; and the widespread promotion of oral rehydration therapy for the treatment of diarrheal diseases in infants and children.

President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2002 meeting with the President of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) promised to support better coordination of activities and nutrition programs in Nigeria, he further said that A ?? the high prevalence of malnutrition is completely unacceptable to this government and assured the President IUNS he would do everything possible to ensure that resources are available to improve household food security, improved access to health care services and the ability to take better care of mothers in charge, including the promotion of breast-feeding.

On September 27, 2005, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo lunched chief state school feeding program Nasarawa primary school Laminga. The program is fully funded and administered by the state of Nasarawa, making it a unique model in Africa today. The event is decision time in fulfilling one of the promises fight against malnutrition especially among children which he observed that many at age 7 â ?? 13 years are underweight. It also promises to reach approximately 27 million children over the next 10 years. NAFDAC also help stop the problem of malnutrition and making a proper assessment of food and medicines used in the country.

Other agencies and NGOs such as the Development Fund of the International World Bank; the World Health Organization (WHO); UN agencies (UNICEF, UNFPA and UNDP); The African Development Bank; the Ford Foundation and MacArthur etc. All of them have contributed their own neighborhoods to improve health and nutrition ?? s the nationality.

CONCLUSION:

The largest nutrition solution can be captured in the slogan, â ?? catch Younga ?? â ?? Children are more vulnerable to malnutrition in utero and before they reach the age of three years, the growth rates are faster announced they are most dependent on others for care during this period. However, the intervention of nutrition, such as school feeding program that began in Nasarawa State in school-aged children are also important for strengthening learning capacity. Training and nutrition education is very important. Nutrition education can easily be integrated into primary health care programs. The survival of the African child's program has reduced the high prevalence of malnutrition in many parts of the cause and the result of undernutrition economic losses from undernutrition includes a percentage of total losses from all causes: lack making human productivity, 10 â ?? 15%; advance GDP,% - 10%.

The government should also use the media to create necessary attention when needed. The government should also try to reach people in rural areas have less access to a variety of government interventions. In addition, improved nutrition intervention is the fight against poverty particularly powerful because it can be produced at low cost and has a long life impact. Investing in nutrition is one of the best options for economic growth and a better social life.