TITLE:
Family and women decide child nutrition—The role of human development, capabilities and lifestyles
AUTHORS:
Cristina Gomes
KEYWORDS:
Mal Nourishment; Children; Women; Family; Lifestyles
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.5 No.7,
July
23,
2013
ABSTRACT: In this article, capacities and
freedom approach, as well as lifestyles are explored taking into account
child nutrition, and other relevant dimensions of human life more than just economic
and other elementary resources, and also social, cultural, psychological,
values and freedom dimensions. Nourishment, health and survival are considered
some of the elementary capabilities, and the concept of malnutrition, including under and over-nutrition, is
discussed, based upon the comparison of data on food production and distribution
from the macro level context, as well as from the family and individual levels included anthropometrical measurements. The
advantages and limits of different kinds of measurements are discussed, suggesting more complex approaches, based also
upon family and gender equality. The double burden of malnutrition, under and
over-nourishment of children is highlighted as a public health issue to be
resolved by adequate policies and considering the role of female empowerment, nutrition-knowledge and education as relevant keys to achieve equality
in family food and resource distribution, healthy lifestyles and human development.