Malnutrition: Africa and Malnourished Children Essay

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"Malnutrition Is Cheating Its Survivors, and Africa’s Future"
Trisha Boley
Wellness Theory
2/25/13

Wines, M. (December 28, 2006). Malnutrition Is Cheating Its Survivors, and Africa’s Future. In New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/28/world/africa/28malnutrition.html?pagewanted=al Malnutrition is a critical issue that affects children worldwide. Malnutrition is a global challenge in low-income and middle-income countries particularly in the sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia. There are a number of causes of malnutrition. It may result from: Inadequate or unbalanced diet, problems with digestion or absorption, or certain medical conditions. (Nordqvist) Malnutrition can occur if you do not eat enough food. Starvation is a form of malnutrition. Ethiopia, for example is one of the many under developed countries struggling with malnutrition for all ages noted in the following article. I read a very heartwarming article called "Malnutrition Is Cheating Its Survivors, and Africa’s Future" written by Michael Wines. He stated, "At least 10,000 children under age 5 died last year, thousands of them from malnutrition-related causes." (Wines) Children at this young of age should just be beginning their journey of life, not losing it. Although, the amount of children who suffer from malnourishment don't necessarily die. Instead, they lead an extremely weak, sickly life in countries where manual labor is essential. In addition, malnourishment not only effects the bodies of individuals, but also the brains. The significant drop of IQ points lowers the ability for children to concentrate in a school environment. "Their hunger is neither a temporary inconvenience nor a quick death sentence. Rather, it is a chronic, lifelong, irreversible handicap that scuttles their futures and cripples Ethiopia’s hopes to join the developed world." (Wines) #1 The specific topic highlighted throughout the article is the negative effects of malnutrition in African countries such as Ethiopia. This article's target audience is anyone and everyone in the world. Educating people on the severity of malnutrition can't be limited to just one age group. The author's overall purpose of writing this article is to educate the viewers and show them that there are struggling countries out there fighting for food. Another point he adds includes if the collaboration of others to work together and pull resources together to solve such a large problem. Poor countries simply don’t have the resources to fix a growing problem and need the help of more affluent countries. Similarly, individuals who have become malnourished need support from their communities to help them overcome their problems. We can’t afford to push forward alone. #2 The author initiates an explicit focus on the children of these countries who are being affected. Without an efficient amount of nutrients in a child's system, they find it difficult to stay awake in school. There are many organizations trying to improve the overall lack of nutrition in Africa. "Well over half of sub-Saharan children under 5 lack iron, vital to developing nervous systems" (Wines) Charities, such as UNICEF, help many African children receive nutrient supplements. Despite the great number of organizations, minor changes in the affected population has changed modestly. #3 On the other hand, the authors writing greatly contributes to the subjects we are learning in this wellness theory course. He states the many nutrient deficiencies and what results from these deficiencies. In addition, he explains how malnutrition is a crisis that continues to rise in developing countries. As I read through the chapters in the contemporary nutrition textbook, I encountered the positive and negative effects of nutrients can affect the body. As I read this article, I came upon the negative effects. #4 As I read throughout the article, I never stumbled upon a counter-arguments to the authors main point. He was
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