Malnutrition also affects school performance

The statement was made by Susan Abdel Rahmen, an American pediatrician and researcher, in a nation During a series of workshops in Madrid, Spain, the Malnutrition prevents children from reaching their full potential Physical and cognitive aspects.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malnutrition involves inadequate, excessive, and unbalanced intake of calories and nutrients by a person and can manifest as Malnutrition, overweight or obesity.

Costa Rica as an example, The latest data on child nutrition, according to the 2018 Women, Children and Adolescents Survey, shows that 9% of children under five are stunted, meaning they are of unhealthy weight.

Meanwhile, the 2016 school height and weight census eight years ago showed that 34% of children aged 6 to 12 are overweight (20%) and obese (14%). in the case of MalnutritionAmong the registered minors, 1.8% I have this condition.

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“When we have a Lack of nutrients The brain needs details that we can see This will develop in different ways compared to children who are not malnourished,” said Susan Abdul Rahman as she presented the global campaign’s progress Fighting malnutrition A joint initiative of Abbott and the Real Madrid Foundation, which includes Costa Rica.

Experts point out that it is important to note that students who are tired and hungry cannot perform well in school. The creator of the MUAC z-score movie, A paper tool placed on a child’s arm to facilitate early identification and timely management of childhood nutritional risks.

In fact, he warns that poor nutrition in the first few years of life and its impact on learning could even affect future adults’ productivity, chances of finding a good job and a good quality of life.

“We know that poor nutrition affects people’s educational development,” agreed Martín Salazar, a nutritionist at the Directorate of Equity Programs of the Ministry of Public Education (MEP), in an interview a few weeks ago.

The official said the Ministry of Environmental Protection had made it clear that “No one learns from hunger.” Since the 2018 and 2016 school weight and height censuses, Menu for MEP implementation The complementary meals provided in the school cafeteria are a combination of different types of food.

Signs of malnutrition and action to take

Although health professionals must assess a child’s physical condition, Parents and teachers can pay attention to different signals A warning that something is wrong and action must be taken.

“One thing we have to consider is size, to see their habits, how they eat, the quantity, whether they only eat some things and not others. A lot of times teachers will talk to you about academic performance in school, but also pay attention to your child’s diet and behavior,” the pediatrician said.

Ann Smith, co-director of the Abbott Center for Malnutrition Solutions, added: Feeding your childboth at home and what they bring to school, Different food groups must be considered Such as vegetables, whole fruits, grains, and healthy sources of protein, and avoiding processed foods.

“Children must be taught to make healthy choices to avoid non-communicable diseases (diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, etc.). It’s all about those choices and education. Sometimes people think that giving only fruit is healthy because they do provide vitamins and minerals, but eating only fruit can provide a lot of sugar. You have to keep it in balance, like eating an apple, a piece of cheese, carrots and nuts. It’s not that it’s more expensive just because it’s healthy. “You have to know how to choose,” Smith said.

At Children’s National (HNN), they are currently caring for 50 children between the ages of 10 and 15 with type 2 diabetes, a chronic disease that develops due to so-called “bad habits” and leads to high blood sugar levels.

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