Micronutrient and/or protein deficiency is shown in a very large group of malnourished people. They either do not receive adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals (micronutrients), or the correct proportion of protein in their diets. This can also have very debilitating effects on people and societies. The health symptoms may not be immediately visible to either the individuals themselves or to health workers, or they can take years to manifest themselves. The result is lost productivity, and a great increase in health care costs which negatively affects other government attempts to improve the quality of life - aside from the enormous social cost.
No one is disputing the detrimental effects of malnutrition. But I am still curious at the definition these "pro-breast-feeding" articles use ... how do I know someone is not using the genuine issue of malnutrition to push an agenda?
Here is a Medline abstract - nothing too scientifically onerous. We are not asking for average serum albumin, total protein, selenium, iron, B12, folate levels .... or iodine status.
Not even daily caloric and protein intake.
Just good ol' anthropometric parameters:
Growth pattern of the Kamars--a primitive tribe of Chhattisgarh, India.
Mitra M, Kumar PV, Ghosh R, Bharati P.
Department of Anthropology, Ravishankar University, Raipur, India.
Abstract
A cross sectional study of the physical growth status was made on 655 Kamar children (341 boys and 314 girls), aged 5 to 18 years, in the Raipur district of Chhattisgarh. The study aimed to find out the growth pattern of the Kamar children, which is considered to be a primitive tribe of Chhattisgarh, India and was compared with another Indian tribe and the official data for all India (ICMR). Anthropometric measurements included height, weight, sitting height, biacromial diameter, biilliocrystal diameter, upper arm circumference, calf circumference and measurements of the triceps and subscapular skinfolds. All anthropometric measurements except skinfold thickness exhibit uniform increase with age in both sexes.
However, when height and weight of the Kamar boys and girls were compared with the data for other tribes and for all India, the Kamar children (both boys and girls) indicated lower weight and height and the difference showed to be significant, for almost all ages. Kamar boys showed higher anthropometric values than girls in almost all measurements except in biilliocrystal diameter and in measured skinfolds. Poor socio-economic status of this primitive tribe may be one of the reasons for this poor growth pattern.
However, in-depth study is necessary in order to arrive at any basic conclusions and to recommend any policy and interventions.
And on another related topic, how much of the lack of micronutrients, esp B12 for example, was due to the prevalence of sprue - tropical or otherwise?
Again, I am
not minimizing or playing up the impact of anything ... just want to get at the basics.
