Factors Promoting Good Nutrition

Good nutrition is apparent when the child is getting good food. The direct cause of malnutrition is the child not getting enough good food for his daily body requirements. But a very important thing to find out is why he is not getting enough. There are many reasons, and some of them depend on others.

Here are a few generally accepted factors on which proper nutrition depends. Everybody dealing with malnutrition must find out which factors are most important in his or her are on how her or she can contribute to an improvement. Good or proper nutrition depends on:

Good Nutrition and Agriculture

Clearing of land at the right time

Planting of sufficient good crops

Use of irrigation and fertilizer, if necessary, and advice from agricultural extension workers

Harvesting at the right time, and safe storage of the foods to avoid losses through pests

A good transport and distribution system to get enough good food to all regions

Good Economy

Sufficient money and resources wisely allocated for priorities like agricultural improvements, food and fuel, education, health, etc.

Enough cultivatable land for sufficient food crops and also cash crops for income

Communal production and fair distribution and marketing

Enough productive jobs and hard work

Control of alcoholism to avoid waste of money and manpower

Healthy Environment

Safe and sufficient water supplies essential for drinking, cooking, cleaning.

Enough fuel available for adequate cooking

Use of latrines and raising of the general standards of sanitation

Vector and disease control is important for nutrition and general health

Good Education

Spreading of knowledge on good nutrition and child health in schools, families and communities

Showing ways to improve on the present attitudes and practices. Special emphasis should be put on proper nutrition in the most vulnerable groups- children and mothers.

Healthy Social and Family Life

Ensure that all the children receive enough food and attention. The younger children usually need more care.

If the mother or father, or both, are away from home for work, it is important to ensure that children are looked after properly and that they get enough food.

There should be appropriate distribution of money, work and food within the family. Support for the mother is important to keep the children healthy. Children should get their share of high-quality energy and foods. Children need small portions of food more often than adults as they cannot digest large quantities at one time.

Prevention and Control of Diseases

Prevention and treatment of perinatal infections of mother and baby, particularly chlamydial infection and STDs

Prevention of HIV infection

Immunization against vaccine-preventable infections like measles. Comprehensive vaccination for children and good material care, contribute very much to proper nutrition.

Early detection and effective treatment of acute diseases like the diarrhoeal diseases and respiratory tract infections.

Good management of chronic diseases or congenital malformations that interfere with children’s food intake or food utilization can often produce at least some improvement.

For a good nutrition, it is important to treat illness in adults properly as illness reduces the work force and diminishes an adult’s ability to take proper care of children.

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