Hardly a healthy picture of nutrition
writes Ahmed Ali | Saturday, 16 April 2011
writes Ahmed Ali
The increase in food production in Bangladesh over the last 40 years is yet to have any substantial impact among its vast population in terms of better or higher calorie intake or nutrition. This is because higher foodgrain production cannot be the only benchmark for claiming a higher level of nutrition of the population which ought to be the main goal. Per head availability of proteins and vital nourishing foods such as fish, animal meat, poultries, dairy produces, etc., have not been increasing in Bangladesh, at least matching the increase of the aggregate volumes of production in the country. Despite the availability of plenty of rice stocks both in private sector and with the government, purchasing power of common people in many cases have not much improved to the extent for them to buy foodgrains at prices they can afford. The country's nutrition status, which is vitally linked the health and vitality of its workforce and economic growth, remains actually rather unpromising, compared to the enormity of related problems. More then 50 per cent of new born babies in Bangladesh are underweight as the mothers suffer from poor calorie intakes during the child-bearing period. The malnutrition of mothers and children do not end there. It continues after birth with the result that neither the mother or the children --the future citizens of the country -- quite grow up into healthy adults. Such young adults are not to be considered as possessing enough vitality to contribute gainfully to the workforce of the country. The workforce is ready to perform at an optimum level when its members are physically free from handicaps and mentally enjoy a similar state. But unfortunately, fairly a large number of people among the active workforce in Bangladesh fall short on both counts. This does certainly not augur well for its economy. Monetary loss to the economy due to malnutrition could, a rough reckoning suggests, reach over US$20 billion for Bangladesh in the next 10 years. Therefore, attention to nutrition issues and programmes to improve the nutritional picture assumes critical importance and these ought to be essentially looked at, from the perspective of setting the stage for economic growth and development and nothing short. At times, Bangladesh experienced bumper harvests in recent years for consecutive terms. But it is ironical that so many mothers in this country remain undernourished to give birth to emaciated children or one fifth of its population are consuming less than 1800 calories per day and 15 per cent less than 2160 calories per day. The problem, therefore, lies more in food availability for the poor at prices they can afford than mere increase in production of food. Addressing of the malnutrition issue would clearly require improving the purchasing power of about 40 per cent of the poor and very poor in the population who are malnourished because they do not have the resources to buy adequate food. The state of malnutrition in the country underlines the importance of greater activity in this sphere. The government has to be more serious about putting into implementation stage an appropriate plan of action in this vital area of concern.
The increase in food production in Bangladesh over the last 40 years is yet to have any substantial impact among its vast population in terms of better or higher calorie intake or nutrition. This is because higher foodgrain production cannot be the only benchmark for claiming a higher level of nutrition of the population which ought to be the main goal. Per head availability of proteins and vital nourishing foods such as fish, animal meat, poultries, dairy produces, etc., have not been increasing in Bangladesh, at least matching the increase of the aggregate volumes of production in the country. Despite the availability of plenty of rice stocks both in private sector and with the government, purchasing power of common people in many cases have not much improved to the extent for them to buy foodgrains at prices they can afford. The country's nutrition status, which is vitally linked the health and vitality of its workforce and economic growth, remains actually rather unpromising, compared to the enormity of related problems. More then 50 per cent of new born babies in Bangladesh are underweight as the mothers suffer from poor calorie intakes during the child-bearing period. The malnutrition of mothers and children do not end there. It continues after birth with the result that neither the mother or the children --the future citizens of the country -- quite grow up into healthy adults. Such young adults are not to be considered as possessing enough vitality to contribute gainfully to the workforce of the country. The workforce is ready to perform at an optimum level when its members are physically free from handicaps and mentally enjoy a similar state. But unfortunately, fairly a large number of people among the active workforce in Bangladesh fall short on both counts. This does certainly not augur well for its economy. Monetary loss to the economy due to malnutrition could, a rough reckoning suggests, reach over US$20 billion for Bangladesh in the next 10 years. Therefore, attention to nutrition issues and programmes to improve the nutritional picture assumes critical importance and these ought to be essentially looked at, from the perspective of setting the stage for economic growth and development and nothing short. At times, Bangladesh experienced bumper harvests in recent years for consecutive terms. But it is ironical that so many mothers in this country remain undernourished to give birth to emaciated children or one fifth of its population are consuming less than 1800 calories per day and 15 per cent less than 2160 calories per day. The problem, therefore, lies more in food availability for the poor at prices they can afford than mere increase in production of food. Addressing of the malnutrition issue would clearly require improving the purchasing power of about 40 per cent of the poor and very poor in the population who are malnourished because they do not have the resources to buy adequate food. The state of malnutrition in the country underlines the importance of greater activity in this sphere. The government has to be more serious about putting into implementation stage an appropriate plan of action in this vital area of concern.