WHO Nutrition Facts
Since we are in our mothers’ wombs, where it is said to be the happiest and most pleasant place in our lives, we have been eating. Nutrients come from our mother and from there we start to grow, to develop.
First, WHO emphasizes that good nutrition during pregnancy is the guarantee of a healthy baby. In addition, it recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life.
Then, after six months of breastfeeding, it is essential to introduce complementary foods that are adequate for the baby’s age, without abandoning breastfeeding until two years or more.
According to the WHO about 20% of deaths of children under 5 years old around the world could be avoided if these indications related to eating habits were respected.
There are even more benefits: with a correct diet, stunting rates and obesity rates decrease, and the intellectual development of younger children is stimulated.
The World Health Organization makes reference to the term “hidden hunger”. This concept, so to speak, refers to the lack of essential vitamins and minerals in the diet.
It doesn’t exactly refer to malnourished children, but to children or people, in general malnourished, as their diet lacks components that are essential for boosting immunity and healthy development.
The important thing is nutrition
Deficiencies in vitamin A, zinc, iron and iodine are issues of major public health concern. About two billion people suffer from iodine deficiency worldwide. Vitamin A deficiency, in turn, is associated with more than half a million deaths of children under 5 years of age each year worldwide.
One of the main indicators of chronic malnutrition is growth retardation. That is, when the child is short for their age group compared to the WHO child growth standards.
Worldwide, there are an estimated 165 million children who are stunted because of food shortages, a diet low in vitamin A and minerals, and illnesses, according to 2011 data.
The other side of the coin is obesity, yet it is not a problem diametrically opposed to malnutrition. The increase of
overweight
and obesity around the world is one of the greatest challenges for public health, according to the WHO.
People of all ages and conditions face this type of malnutrition and, as a result, rates of diabetes and other food-related illnesses are rapidly increasing, even in developing countries. In these countries, up to 20% of children under the age of 5 are overweight.
Healthy eating
To avoid this sad situation we must eat healthy . WHO recommends eating at least five servings (or 400 g) of fruits and vegetables a day.
Eating fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of developing non-communicable diseases. In addition, it helps to ensure adequate daily intake of dietary fiber.
In order to improve your consumption of fruits and vegetables you can:
- Include vegetables with every meal.
- Eat fresh fruits and raw vegetables as snacks.
- Eat fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables.
- Eat a varied selection of fruits and vegetables.
Low Fat Diet
Another tip is to reduce your total fat intake to less than 30% of your daily calorie intake, which helps prevent weight gain in the adult population.
Fat consumption can be reduced as follows:
- Changing the way you cook: separating the fat from the meat; use vegetable oils (which are not of animal origin); consume cooked food by steaming or oven-cooking instead of frying.
- Avoiding the consumption of processed foods that have trans fat.
- Reducing consumption of foods high in saturated fat (eg cheese, ice cream, fatty meats).
Drinking plenty of fluids, especially water, will also help keep you and your children healthy.
