Misunderstanding nutritional related problems

Abstract

Malnutrition (not having adequate nutrient in a diet) and under-nutrition (not eating the right portion size) are two predominant nutritional problems devilling the under-developed nations like Nigeria. This is as a result ignorance and poverty respectively. As unpleasant as it sounds though, the under developed countries have fared badly on the anomaly on this dispensation. Certain factors may have accounted for this anomaly and this has lead to lots of misunderstanding of nutritional related problems. For the problem of nutrition to be properly understood it is of high importance to note and recognize the roles nutrition can play on an individual or group of people’s health as well as the likely hazards that generates from poor nutrition. Nutrition is primarily the study of the use of food by the body for growth, work and repair. It is also the study of how people eat and what they eat. Food on its own does not guarantee good health but adequate and proper nutrition plays a vital role in achieving optimum health which depends on other factors like environmental conditions, mental health, diseases, lifestyle, educational and economic status, heredity etc.

Keywords: malnutrition, under-nutrition, diet, food nutrient, consumption