Good nutrition is essential for making the body healthy and fit. We get nutrients from the food that we eat in our daily life. It must be rich in every essential nutrient that is required by our body. The deficiency of essential nutrients in the body causes malnutrition. This is a severe problem that is affecting almost every country in the world. There are millions of people who are victims of poverty and therefore cannot afford good quality food. Many people in the world sleep hungry every day. These all problems result in making people malnourished and thus it is becoming a serious concern in different developing and developed nations of the world.
Short and Long Paragraphs on Malnutrition in English
This topic is very important for students and also regarding the perspective of competitive exams. I have elaborated on this topic by providing some short and long paragraphs. I hope that it might be useful for all the students in getting information about this topic. This will aid the students in getting an idea to write essays, paragraphs, and projects on this topic.
Paragraph 1 – 100 words (A Global Concern on Malnutrition)
Malnutrition is stated as the deficiency in nutrients required by the body. It is caused because of the poor quality of food that is consumed by the people. Any person in the world can suffer from this serious problem. It is observed that children are mostly the sufferers of this problem in the world. Poverty and hunger, bad sanitation and illiteracy are the major factors that make people suffer from the serious issue of malnutrition. Millions of children and adults die annually because of hunger and malnutrition. The different countries must take a vital step to eradicate this issue from the world.
Paragraph 2 – 120 words (Malnutrition: A Nutrient Deficiency Disorder)
Our body requires energy to perform different activities of our life. We get this energy in form of calories from the food that we consume every day. The nutrients that we get from the food depend upon the type of food that we eat. We must ensure that the food that we are eating is rich in proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, etc. There are many people in the world who are unable to afford food that is rich in essential nutrients because of a lack of money. They just eat whatever they get to satisfy their hunger needs and thus become weak and malnourished. The intake of surplus food rich in calories but lacking in nutrients causes obesity and this is also a sign of malnutrition.
Paragraph 3 – 150 words (Malnutrition Needs Immediate Attention)
Malnutrition is a serious issue that has affected billions of people in the world. It is an issue of concern in both developed and developing countries but is more eminent in developing countries. Most of the people in the countries of Central Africa and South Asia are dying every year because of hunger and malnourishment. The majority of the child population in India is suffering from the severe effects of malnutrition. This is because of hunger, poverty, and eating food that lacks essential nutrients.
There are several steps that are being taken at national and global levels in order to get rid of this severe problem but they are not successful in bringing a major change. Social evils like poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, etc have to be tackled at first. The policies and programs need to be implemented in an effective manner at the root level with the support of every individual in the world. This might be able to eradicate the problem of malnutrition gradually from the different nations of the world.
Paragraph 4 – 200 words (Conditions and Consequences of Malnutrition)
We are advised to take a diet that is rich in nutrients required by the body. Our diet must include food rich in protein, vitamins, carbohydrates, fat, micronutrients, etc. The children require more calories as they are at a growing age. Good quality food will help in strengthening their muscles and bones. The deficiency of the above-stated nutrients in the food that we eat or excessive eating of food rich in non-essential nutrients leads to malnutrition.
Different Conditions of Malnutrition
Malnutrition is basically stated as the disorder caused by the deficiency of nutrients but this deficiency is further categorized into two types:
- Undernutrition- This is the malnourishment that is caused because of a deficiency of calories, proteins, and micronutrients. It results mainly due to hunger or starvation. Stunted growth, low height, reduced weight, swollen legs and abdomen, poor energy level is the symptoms of people affected by undernutrition. This condition is common in pregnant women who are not getting sufficient calories and nutrients that are required during pregnancy.
- Overnutrition- It is a condition that is caused due to intake of food that is not rich in nutrients. The intake of such food results in causing obesity. This increases the probability of different heart-related and health issues in people.
The Effort of United Nations to Eradicate Malnutrition
There have been several steps taken in past for reducing the problem of malnourishment from the world. These policies have not resulted in bringing a positive outcome. The United Nations has declared the period of 2016- 2025 as the UN Decade on Action on Nutrition. This ensures the implementation of different nutrition programs and collaborative efforts by the member nations in the world to get rid of malnutrition.
Paragraph 5 – 250 words (Major Forms of Malnutrition)
The different nations in the world are developing in different sectors at a very fast pace. It is very sad to state that inspite of such advancement in every field there are billions of people who are suffering from malnutrition. It is a crucial issue in almost every country of the world. Millions of people and children in India and the world die every year due to this severe disorder and it still has no remedy.
Major Types of Malnutrition
Malnutrition is commonly referred to as the condition of undernutrition. Undernutrition is further classified into two forms based on the type of nutrient deficiency. They are enlisted below:
- Protein- Energy Malnutrition- This is caused by the deficiency of protein or all the essential nutrients in the diet. Short height, less growth, less body weight according to age is the symptoms of this condition of undernutrition. The improved nutrition, good sanitation, and treatment help in overcoming this condition.
- Micronutrient Deficiency Diseases- This condition of undernutrition is caused due to deficiency of specific micronutrients in the body.
Malnutrition and Poverty
Poverty is the basic issue that is prevalent in developing countries. Malnutrition and poverty are directly related to each other. It is because the maximum percentage of people suffering from different conditions of malnourishment is due to poverty. The poor people could not get good jobs as they are illiterate and therefore they are unable to afford nutrient-rich food as they are expensive. The children in such families are also working somewhere to earn money for a living. It is poverty that makes them devoid of good education, food, and lifestyle.
The Role of Malnutrition Prevention Programs in India
There have been several efforts taken by the government of India to reduce poverty by launching several initiatives at state and national levels. This has led to bring a positive effect but still, the percentage of people and children suffering from this issue is high in the nation. The percentage of people suffering from malnourishment has significantly reduced from 48% in 2005-06 to about 38 % in 2015-16. Yet there is a need for proper implementation of the policies and nutrition programs to obtain good results.
Also Read : 10 Lines on Malnutrition
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions on Malnutrition
Ans. Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam are Indian states that are majorly affected by malnutrition
Ans. Kerala and Tamil Nadu are the states of India that are least affected by malnutrition.
Ans. Antoine Lavoisier is regarded as the Father of Nutrition.
Ans. SDG Goal No- 2 that states Zero Hunger aims to end hunger and malnutrition by 2030.
Ans. POSHAN (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment) Abhiyan, launched on 8th March 2018, is a recently launched nutrition program in India.