MALNUTRITION What is the problem?
Malnutrition : a condition that results from eating a diet in which nutrients are not enough or are too much such that it causes health problems and may sometimes lead to death. It is often used specifically to refer to undernutrition where there is not enough calories, protein or micronutrients; however, it also includes overnutrition. Approximately half of the people on Earth, about 3.5 billion people, are victims of malnutrition and it is considered the largest single contributor to disease in the world, according to the UN's Standing
Committee on Nutrition (SCN). Malnutrition is a global problem that affects not only developing countries but developed ones as well. In the United States alone, the annual cost for illnesses linked to hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity is $130.5 billion with only $17.8 billion of charitable contributions devoted to addressing these issues. Often thought of as undernourishment in the sense of not getting enough food, malnutrition is the lack of proper nutrients in a person’s diet that contributes to health problems. This means that individuals can be getting enough to eat but are not consuming the daily requirements of calories, protein or micronutrients.
● The global food system is broken. In total around 3.5 billion people — half the people on the planet today — are malnourished
● 2.3 million children die every year due to malnutrition
● Largest single contributor to disease in the world, according to the UN's Standing Committee on
Nutrition (SCN)
● Iodine deficiency is the world's greatest single cause of mental retardation and brain damage
● Countries lose 23% of their GDP as a result of malnutrition Why choose this problem?
The annual cost of malnutrition or its threat to US(i.e. “food insecurity) includes:
● $130.5 billion: Illness costs linked to hunger,malnutrition and food insecurity
● $19.2 billion: Value of poor educational outcomes and lower lifetime earnings linked to hunger,malnutrition and food insecurity
● $17.8 billion: Value of charitable contributions to address hunger,malnutrition and food insecurity How we can solve it? Launch a pilot program in North carolina
● 17% of households in NC were “food insecure,” or struggled to afford a nutritionally adequate diet. (Source: CBPP analysis of data from USDA Food and Nutrition Service)
● Resource : collaborate with private citizens,government officials, nonprofits, business leaders, and others providing innovative hunger solutions in their communities. Together, implement an action plan that has measurable goals, and overcomes the barriers to making sure every child in the state the food they need, where they live, learn and play.
● Measure the success of the program in order to replicate it in other cities and countries. Focus areas:
1. ACCESS
➔ Connecting kids to effective nutrition programs
◆ pilot programs in communities across the state with dedicated focus on connecting kids to summer meals and school breakfast programs, and helping families provide nutritious food at home.
➔ Distributing food stamps
◆ Qualification criterion families with annual income <$30,000
◆ Target benefits according to need. Distribute electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, which can be used only to purchase food at one of the 246,000 authorized retail locations around the country, including 8,500 in North Carolina.
2. EDUCATION
➔ Program that teaches lowincome families about food and how to cook healthy meals on a limited budget. ◆ Education about grocery shopping, cooking and nutrition can help families build the food skills needed to put nutritious meals on the table every day.
3. AWARENESS
➔ Raising awareness, fundraising, Cause marketing
◆ Partner with 25 of the nation’s best restaurants and hold
