100 Million Children Have This for Lunch Everyday

Hey guys!

I saw this on Yahoo! and thought that perhaps it might be useful as an introduction to teaching malnutrition or nutrient deficiency.

(PS: Ai Ning, maybe u can use it.. Just a suggestion :))

The picture on the right shows the food eaten by poor families in third world country.

The food consist of cabbage, peas and rice has low nutritional value according to 'Save the Children', a non- government organisation (NGO) which works to improve the lives of improvished children around the globe.

Such families eat meals like this twice every day, as they do not have the means to eat three times a day.

At a press launch on Tuesday hosted at the Asian Food Channel (AFC) studio in Orchard Central, the NGO presented its findings in a new report on food concerns and malnutrition in Asia.

According to the report, unless more action is taken over the next 15 years to combat food price rises, half a billion more children would be affected by malnutrition.

The ailment is the underlying cause of a third of child deaths globally.

Currently, half of the world's underweight children live in South Asia. India holds the highest rate of chronic malnutrition among children in the world, at 48 per cent, as 60 million children are affected.

The report recommended that basic measures be taken to tackle malnutrition and reduce vulnerability to food price spikes, which includes fortifying basic foods with essential minerals or vitamins, encouraging exclusive breastfeeding for children up to six months of age, and better investment in cash transfers.