I Hate PSM

Hidden Hunger

Nutrition and Health

  • Hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiency) is a form of undernutrition where intake and absorption of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals such as zinc, iodine and iron) are too low to sustain good health and development.

  • Often, the signs of this form of malnutrition are ‘hidden’, as individuals may ‘look alright’ but suffer extremely negative impacts on health and well‐being.

    • Because clinical signs (e.g. night blindness, goiter) appear only when the deficiency has become severe
    • The health and development is affected by less obvious ‘invisible’ effects
    • That is why micronutrient deficiencies are referred to as ‘hidden hunger’

  • Even mild to moderate deficiencies can affect health and socio economic development of the population and the country

  • Factors contributing to micronutrient deficiencies:

    • Poor diet
    • Increased need in certain life stages e.g. pregnancy and lactation
    • Diseases, infections and parasites
    • 1 out of 3 people in developing countries suffers from hidden hunger, which increases their vulnerability to infection, birth defects, and impaired development.

  • They habitually eat large amounts of staple food crops (e.g. maize, wheat, and rice) that are

    • high in calories but lack sufficient micronutrients, and
    • low amounts of micronutrients rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, and animal and fish products

  • The effects can be:

    • Mental impairment
    • Poor health and Low productivity
    • Premature death

  • The effects on child health and survival are particularly acute, especially within the first 1000 days of life i.e. from conception to the age of 2 resulting in serious physical and cognitive consequences

  • Hidden hunger prevents children from achieving the full development of their physical, intellectual and social potential.

    • Hence it can be considered as a human rights issue

  • Developing countries are moving from minimally processed traditional diet to highly processed, energy dense, micronutrient poor food and drinks, which lead to obesity and poor health

  • Due to this ‘nutrition transition’ many developing countries face a phenomenon of ‘triple burden’

    • Malnutrition – undernourishment
    • Micronutrient deficiencies and
    • Obesity

  • Even in higher income groups, hidden hunger can co-exist with overweight/obesity

    • Therefore an obese child can suffer from hidden hunger

References

  • Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine; 23rd ed.

  • WHO/UNICEF, Preventing and controlling micronutrient deficiencies in populations affected by an emergency, Joint statement by the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme and the United Nations Children’s Fund available at: http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/micronutrients/WHO_WFP_UNICEFs..., accessed on 7th April 2017

acculturation: Acculturation
Social security: Social Security
Operational research: Operational Research
Gross National Income (GNI) and Purchasing Power Parity (PPP): Gross National Income (GNI) and Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)
Global Hunger Index (GHI: Global Hunger Index (GHI)
Hidden Hunger: Hidden Hunger