Death Due To Micronutrient Deficiency – A Cricital Problem
Nearly six thousand children below the age of five years have died due to a deficiency of micronutrients. Shocked by these incidents, healthcare professionals have insisted on proper micronutrients for the development of the children’s immune systems.
If this matter is properly addressed with an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals, children can be saved from anaemia and other deficiency problems.
Paediatricians report that only 10% to 15% of the target to control deficiencies has been reached, and it’s critical that efforts are doubled in this area.
According to Dr. Hari Krishna, Senior Paediatrician, “Micronutrients contribute directly and indirectly to a child’s survival. It’s vital to ensure the intake of the right foods during infancy so that the immune system is strong enough to battle viruses, bacteria and diseases.”
Diarrhoea and pneumonia are the leading causes of death in children below five years of age.
Dr. J. Chabria, Senior Nutritionist explained, “Grain and plant diets are high in macronutrients like carbohydrates, fats and proteins, but low in micronutrients like iron, zinc, sodium, etc. Infants require nutrient-rich food to maximise the benefit of what their tiny stomachs can hold.”
How To Address Deficiency Problems
- Ensure adequate micronutrients like iron, zinc, selenium and folic acid, which are required for healthy brain growth both in the womb and also in the first six months of life.
- Ensure intake of the right foods for the first 1000 days of life for healthy brain growth.
- Prevent Iodine deficiency, which is found to cause intellectual disability.
- Prevent Vitamin A deficiency, which is the cause of preventable blindness in children.
Strategies To Overcome Micronutrient Deficiencies
- Diversification of diets by including foods that are rich in iron, zinc, sodium and calcium.
- Eating small portions at intervals for better absorption.
- Using fortified foods and supplementing them with vitamin and minerals.
Disclaimer: Welthi.com does not guarantee any specific results as a result of the procedures mentioned here, and the results may vary from person to person.
