Nutrition Interventions & Global Health: Improving Worldwide Health - Free Essay Example

Strategies used to improve nutritional problems or to specify diets for particular individuals or patients are nutritional interventions. Besides, global health is all about the health problems that affect people worldwide, such as the risks that may face a population because of the change in climate and other common factors worldwide (Skolnik, 2016). Over the past years, there have been measures to improve the health of people worldwide, and so far, health research has made sure there is a positive change in the health of people globally. Pakistan was not given nutrition priority until it signed an agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1978, where it resolved to improve the health results in the country (Ali et al., 2018). The essay discusses the global nutritional interventions and the specific impacts on the population of Pakistan, specifically on infants and pregnant mothers.

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One example of the interventions that should be implemented in Pakistan includes infant and feeding habits for young children, which helps the children have good health and increases the population of children in Pakistan. Additionally, breast milk has all the nutritional requirements that a child needs for survival and good health (Asfandyar et al., 2012) Therefore, it is prudent that the mother has a good diet for the child to have good health. Moreover, expectant mothers need foods containing vitamins and minerals. Another organization supporting the programs for increasing nutrition and providing nutritional supplements by improving the breastfeeding habits of expectant mothers is (UNICEF), which operates in Pakistan. Also, most children in Pakistan suffer from some effects of malnutrition since it is prone to some of the challenges like drought and famine. According to statistics conducted in Pakistan, only 38% of children get breastfed for the first six months, due to poor breastfeeding habits Most children suffer due to poor feeding habits thus, about 40% of the children suffer from a lack of Zinc and vitamin while 62 % have anemia (UNICEF PAKISTAN).

The improvement of the feeding habits for the infants and breastfeeding practices will have certain impacts since they have been implemented in Pakistan. First, the health of the children will improve since the strategies put aside are effective. Secondly, what a child feeds on affects their growth physically, mentally, and even the child (Skolink, 2016). Therefore, proper feeding habits will impact population growth and good health for the children of Pakistan as a whole. Again, there will be a decrease in the infant mortality rate in Pakistan and an increase in the performance of the children and Pakistan as a whole. The low birth rates registered in Pakistan are yet to be reduced because of the good feeding habits adopted in Pakistan from expectant mothers and infants and young children.

Subsequentially, there is micronutrient supplementation, another intervention used in Pakistan, which is the making use of micronutrient supplements, the attention is directed to iodine, vitamin A, iron, and Zinc. The supplements increase the diets of the individual in Pakistan and decrease the rate of malnutrition. According to statistics children 16-24 months, when feeding young children, the multi-micronutrient powder should be added to the food (Feeding Strategy 2015), which is, according to World Health Organization (WHO), recommended mostly in areas that have a deficiency in macronutrients. Moreover, research was conducted in Pakistan, which led to the address of anemia in infants and specifically in young children. Therefore, it was recommended that breastfeeding and older children feed on the macronutrients, which is practiced in developed and some developing countries. The supplements help fill the gap of nutrients lacking in the foods the infants and young children of Pakistan.

The supplements have positive impacts on children with deficiencies in macronutrients, for example, Zinc, vitamin A, and other nutrients. According to statistics, approximately 95% of children below five years in Pakistan are accessing vitamin A because of the supplement nutrients, while 60% of pregnant women can get iron and folic acid. The macronutrient supplements led to an increase in healthy birth rates in Pakistan since expectant mothers can access all the nutrients for safe births. Additionally, the children in Pakistan have had good growth and are safe from some diseases associated with poor diets like anemia. Good health has led to a decrease in children's mortality rates due to inadequate diets or poor feeding habits.

Additionally, there will be a decrease in the registration of low birth weights since expectant mothers get all the required nutrients from micronutrient supplements (Feeding Strategy, 2015). For example, folic acid helps pregnant women by assisting in the growth of the child and building DNA and the cells of the baby and the mother. Besides, iron in the pregnant mother helps reduce the low birth weight and premature births. The nutritional interventions have greatly improved the nutritional status of the people of Pakistan.

Reference

Skolink, R. (2016). Global Health 3rd Edition. https://www.amazon.com/Global-Health-101-Essential-Public/dp/1284050548

Niazi, K., Baber, A., Niazi, S. (2012). Nutritional programs in Pakistan. http://www.jmnn.org/article.asp?issn=2278-1870;year=2012;volume=1;issue=2;spage=98;epage=100;aulast=Niazi

Ali, T., Salam, T., Shujaat, Z. (2018). Nutrition history in Pakistan. https://ebrary.ifpri.org/digital/collection/p15738coll2/id/132714UNICEF PAKISTAN. Ensuring every child develops to their full potential. https://www.unicef.org/pakistan/nutrition-0

PAKISTAN. Pakistan Infant and Young Child Feeding Strategy, 2016- 2020. https://extranet.who.int/nutrition/gina/sites/default/files/PAK-Infant%20and%20Young%20Child%20Feeding%20Strategy_%202015%20Final.pdf