Food and nutrition, a major issue everywhere
Food and nutrition is still the major problem in many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, where thousands of strangely swollen children live, malnourished and in pain. These are the victims of protein starvation and much of their "fat" is really swelling caused by excess fluid in the body tissues.
Inadequate food and nutrition, and especially protein malnutrition also causes roughened skin and lusterless hair and in severe cases the body becomes unable to even absorb food. Children lose their appetite and often develop diarrhea. These symptoms lead mothers to cut down food rations even further, thus aggravating the disease. The child's liver becomes grossly enlarged and his skin peels off in shreds. Soon he sinks into a profound apathy and dies.
As for the millions of malnourished children who survive, they remain forever stunted, weakened and vulnerable to disease. As a result, they can never do much useful work as adults, a fact that helps perpetuate their regions' low standard of living.
On the other hand, food and nutrition is also a major issue in most Western countries, but in a very different way...
We never repent of having eaten too little
(Thomas Jefferson)
Over-nourished, overweight and obese Westerners are striving to cut down food rations in order to get rid of excess weight! They don't particularly suffer from protein malnutrition, but from lack of a balanced diet. For them, the intake of top quality vitamins is the best way to insure absorption of all necessary nutrients on a daily basis. |
