Ilorin – Malnourished children have increased risk of disability and premature death, says Dr Muhammed
Uthman of the Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Ilorin.
Uthman, who is currently a lecturer at the Faculty of Clinical Sciences of the same institution, made the disclosure in an interview with
the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday.
He said there was high burden of malnutrition in Nigeria and in Africa, stressing that poor nutrition could cause stunted growth or reduced growth rate in human development.
He added that “it is a primary manifestation of malnutrition where recurrent infections such as diarrhea set in early childhood.
“The main malnutrition indicator is stunted growth, where children become too short for their age and have poor physical growth and brain development, preventing such children from living up to their full potential.”
Uthman recalled that the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2013 reported that the prevalence of stunted growth among children was 37 per cent, while that of underweight children tood at 29 per cent.
He listed inadequate dietary intake, prevalence of malaria, poverty and the lack of health and sanitation among other as causes of malnutrition.
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The expert said causes were complex and interconnected and that no single government or organisation could act alone to end hunger and malnutrition.
He advised that different groups and sectors be mobilised and pull their skills and resources together to engage government and non state actors to effectively tackle malnutrition in the country.