1. Nutritional status in Nigeria and the North
A summary on the nutritional status in Nigeria, focusing specifically on Northern Nigeria.
- Under nutrition remains one of the world’s most serious but least addressed development problems (Horton et al, 2009). The number of people suffering from hunger was estimated at 925 million in 2010, with maternal and child under nutrition remaining pervasive.
- It has been estimated that worldwide, using data from 2004, stunting, severe wasting, and intrauterine growth restriction together were responsible for 2·2 million deaths and 21% of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for children younger than 5 years old, with nearly one-third of children underweight or stunted (Black et al, 2008). Under nutrition interacts with infectious disease, causing an estimated 3.5 million preventable maternal and child deaths annually (Black et al, 2008).
- Malnutrition is also responsible for the loss of billions of dollars in forgone productivity and avoidable health care spending. Under nutrition, including micronutrient deficiencies (also referred to as "hidden hunger") is caused by inadequate dietary intake and disease which in turn stems from food insecurity, poor maternal and child care practices and inadequate access to clean drinking water and safe food, sanitation and quality health services.
- The human costs of malnutrition fall hardest on the poorest, especially on women and children (Horton et al, 2009), while the recent food and economic crises have magnified the challenge of hunger and under nutrition (Bloem et al, 2010).