Question

Differentiate common assessment procedures used to examine nutritional health across the life span.

Answer 1

Ans) WHO initially promoted worldwide awareness of protein-energy malnutrition through publications,cooperation with countries in national nutrition surveys, training of personnel and research.

- WHO/FAO expert groups elaborated guidelines for nutritional assessment, nutritional re-
quirements, the role of nutrition units, and national nutrition policies and strategies.

- Applied activities and surveillance were developed in many countries, with significant impact on local or national nutritional activities
and status.

- Particular emphasis was on preventing micronutrient deficiencies, especially of iodine, iron and vitamin A.

- Global databases were developed on each of these in the 1990s,and indicators and criteria for monitoring the deficiencies, and programmes to combat them.

- By 1997, over 160 countries had received technical and/or financial support from WHO for developing and implementing their national food and nutrition policies and plans.

- TheWHO global database on national
nutrition policies and programmes provides information on the progress
of countries.

- The WHO global database on malnutrition and child growth covers over 80% of the world’s under-5 children, and the databank on
breast-feeding covers 65 countries (over 60% of the world population).

- The baby-friendly hospital initiative is being implemented in over 170 countries and over 10 700 hospitals are now designated “baby-friendly”.

- Over 140 countries now have national breast-feeding committees or equivalent. A multicountry study on child growth is being set up in order to develop a new international growth reference for infants and young children.

- Strategies to prevent malnutrition in children in the early 21st century include supporting countries in eliminating iodine deficiency and its associated brain damage, vitamin A deficiency and its associated blindness and death, and iron deficiency anaemia with its associated mortality and morbidity; improving infant and
young child feeding through promotion of breast-feeding and proper timely complementary feeding; and more effectively addressing the nutritional needs of the ever-growing emergency-affected populations.