Malnutrition And Malnutrition - Among The Main Global Problems

Food is one of the main factors for normal physical and mental development, for work ability and creative longevity, for maintaining and strengthening health. According to modern notions, food should not only meet the body's needs for energy and nutrients and ensure good health, but also protect against disease and accelerated aging, ie. nutrition should be prophylactic.

Malnutrition. Malnutrition is a major socio-economic and health problem in developing countries and for part of the population of developed countries. Severe malnutrition (hunger or malnutrition) is widespread in large geographical regions.

Malnutrition is particularly detrimental to children, whose energy and nutrient needs are higher than those of adults.

Early infant mortality, physical and neuropsychological disorders, weight loss, higher incidence and more severe infectious diseases are consequences of malnutrition in both mothers during pregnancy and children after birth.

According to the WHO, about 10-15% of the population of our planet is starving , and partial malnutrition affects about 50%. There is currently a sharp increase in population, which is not accompanied by a parallel increase in food production. It is estimated that the population of developing countries consumes 1/3 to 1/2 less energy, almost twice less protein and five times less animal protein with their daily diet than the population of developed countries. Most people in Africa, Asia and Latin America consume only 6 - 15 grams of animal protein per day, with an optimal rate of 50 - 60 grams.

As a result of malnutrition, millions of people around the world suffer from cachexia, insanity, hypo- and avitaminosis, anemia, infectious and parasitic diseases. Poor nutrition associated with protein deficiency is the cause of high morbidity and mortality due to low immune protection of the population. There are more frequent and more severe illnesses than a number of infectious and non-infectious diseases.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations proposes as key measures to overcome the global food shortage: expanding arable land, increasing crop yields and obtaining several harvests a year in the tropics. In addition, more efficient use of sea and ocean biomass for food, as well as the creation of artificial food sources, is recommended.

Nutrition . The main problems in developed countries are related to nutrition and unbalanced composition of food intake. Overfeeding is a major cause of various metabolic and degenerative diseases in developed countries, such as gout, diabetes, obesity, hyperlipoproteinemia, gallstone and kidney stones, liver steatosis, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and atherosclerosis.

Against the background of the immobilization that is observed in these countries and the hyperenergetic diet, there is an overdose of fat, mainly of animal origin and sugar abuse.

Due to the increased consumption of refined foods, the population of Western Europe and North America consumes insufficient amounts of certain vitamins, bioelements and dietary fiber.

State of nutrition of the population in UK. Historically, it is known that for centuries in the diet in our country carbohydrates have prevailed over fats and proteins, and plant foods have significantly prevailed over animal foods. Bread was a staple product, identified with the concept of food. The tendencies in the nutrition of the Bulgarians in the last years, in connection with the social and economic changes, are especially unfavorable. There is a high intake of fats, sugar, salt and alcohol, and insufficient consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, milk, meat, fish and eggs.

Nutritional deficiencies of proteins, minerals, vitamins and fiber are registered. In children, due to insufficient consumption of milk and dairy products, smaller amounts of calcium and vitamin B2 are taken. Iron deficiency is common in them, as well as in pregnant and breastfeeding women. In older people, low meat consumption creates conditions for deficiency of zinc, iron and vitamin B12.

A large part of the population of Bulgaria suffers from a deficiency of vitamins A and C, especially during the winter-spring season. The most common of the bioelements is the deficiency of potassium, magnesium, copper and zinc.