Where There Is No Doctor 2011 109
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO EAT RIGHT
People who do not eat right develop malnutrition. This can happen from not
eating enough food of any kind (general malnutrition or ‘undernutrition’), from not
eating the right kinds of foods (specific types of malnutrition), or from eating too
much of certain foods (getting too fat, see p. 126).
Anyone can develop general malnutrition, but it is especially dangerous for:
• children, because they need lots of food to grow well and stay healthy;
• women of child bearing age, especially if they are pregnant or breastfeeding,
because they need extra food to stay healthy, to have healthy babies, and to
do their daily work;
• elderly persons, because often they lose their teeth and their taste for food,
so they cannot eat much at one time, even though they still need to eat well to
stay healthy;
• people with HIV, because they need more food to fight their infection.
A malnourished child does not grow well. She generally is thinner and shorter
than other children. Also, she is more likely to be irritable, to cry a lot, to move
and play less than other children, and to get sick more often. If the child also gets
diarrhea or other infections, she will lose weight. A good way to check if a child is
poorly nourished is to measure the distance around her upper arm.
Checking Children for Malnutrition: The Sign of the Upper Arm
After 1 year of age, any child whose middle
upper arm measures less than 11 ½ cm. around is
malnourished — no matter how ‘fat’ his feet, hands,
and face may look. If the arm measures between 11 ½
and 12 ½ cm., he is at risk of becoming malnourished.
less than
11 ½ cm.
Another good way to tell if a child is well nourished
or poorly nourished is to weigh him regularly: once a
month in the first year, then once every 3 months. A
healthy, well nourished child gains weight regularly. The
weighing of children and the use of the Child Health
Chart are discussed fully in Chapter 21.
PREVENTING MALNUTRITION
To stay healthy, our bodies need plenty of good food. The food we eat has to fill
many needs. First, it should provide enough energy to keep us active and strong.
Also, it must help build, repair, and protect the different parts of our bodies. To do
all this we need to eat a combination of foods every day.