Malnutrition in the United Sta essays

Malnutrition in the United Sta essays People tend to associate malnutrition with poor countries; however, malnutrition is existent in many developing countries, like the United States. One third of all the children in these countries suffer from malnutrition (Freedonation.com). Malnutrition can be defined as poor nutrition because of poorly balanced diet, faulty digestion or utilization of foods. Malnutrition is a major issue for many young children. Larry Brown, a chairman of the Physician Task Force on Hunger in America, states in his article Hunger in the U.S. that: ...The child once born is at considerable risk if adequate nutrition is lacking. The human brain develops most rapidly from conception until about the age of three. During those years brain function can be impaired by nutritional deprivation. Other risks are stunting (defined as height below the fifth percentile for a given sex and age) and wasting (weight below the fifth percentile for age and height). In addition malnourished children are particularly vulnerable to lead and other environmental toxins, which can affect the brain and compound the direct effects of malnutrition on the childs intellectual development. (Brown 114) Due to the fact that a childs brain develops the most during the first three years of his life, it is substantial that proper nutrition is present. Malnutrition in the United States is a large affair that many people fail to recognize. The Government and individuals should take a much stronger steps to solve this issue of malnutrition in the United States. Malnutrition exists for many of reasons with in the U.S.; however, the primary cause of this issue in the United Sates is finical; The Lack of money may make it difficult to purchase an adequate diet. The wealthiest people in the United States eat eleven times as much meat and seven times as much fish as the lowest twenty percent of people in the United States (Freedonation.com). Because of the lack of ...