Underlying Causes of Malnutrition
Poverty
Poverty is far from being eradicated. During the last two decades, the number of people affected by extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa has nearly doubled, from 164 million in 1982 to some 313 million as of 2002. Poverty alone does not lead to malnutrition, but it seriously affects the availability of adequate amounts of nutritious food for the most vulnerable populations. Over 90 percent of malnourished people live in developing countries.
Lack of access to food
Disease
If the HIV-infected child becomes acutely malnourished, her/his diminished nutritional state will increase the likelihood of infections, and may lower the effectiveness of medications — either anti-retroviral treatment or for other illnesses and infections. When severely malnourished, an individual may not be able to tolerate medications at all. The combination of acute malnutrition and HIV and AIDS thus considerably increases the chances of morbidity, placing the child at a higher risk of death.
Conflicts
Climate change
In the space of 30 years, the number of natural disasters — droughts, cyclones, floods, etc. — linked to climate change has increased substantially. The effects of climate change are often dramatic, devastating areas which are already vulnerable. Infrastructure is damaged or destroyed; diseases spread quickly; people can no longer grow crops or raise livestock.According to UN studies in over 40 developing countries, the decline in agricultural production caused either directly or indirectly by climate change could dramatically increase the number of people suffering from hunger in the coming years.
Lack of safe drinking water
Water is synonymous with life. Lack of potable water, poor sanitation and dangerous hygiene practices increase vulnerability to infectious and water-borne diseases, which are direct causes of acute malnutrition.
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