For generations,malnutrition was the common nutritional problem in very country. In reent years, food has become relatively abundant in the economically developed countries; obesity has become much more prominent. In 1979, some 15 million children around the world were expected to die of causes related to defective nutrition. Malnutrition is probably one of the most important health problems in developing countries.
Asia, the greatest land on earth, has been the center of the most ancient civilizations and the great religions of the world. In it, there is over half of the world population. The children in Asia, under 15 years of age, I shall omit any reference to Japan and Singapore, ehose disease patterns and mortality statistic now resemble those of Western Countries, constituted 40-45 percent of total population and those under 5 years constitute 15-17 percent of population. It is interesting to know that 70-80 percent of population live in rural area. Although developing countries are still predominantly rural, the urban sector enlarges fast; slums and shanty town are still growing faster than the cities which they are linked, and usually consisted of young population. Slum clearance is not proved to be a practical and successful solution, pratly because of the high cost and partly because of inability to meet the needs of slum people or significantly control the spread of slums.
Health status
For infant and young children, the health status is very closely related to the environment in which they live. The 1982-83 State of World’s Children report by James P Grant, Executive Director of the United Nation Children’s Fund (UNCEP)(1) state; “Today, an invisible malnutrition touches the lives of approximatedly one quarter of quietly steals away their energy; it gently restrains their growth; it is gradually lower their resistance. And in both cause and consequence it is inextricable interlocked with the illnesses and infections with both sharpen, and are sharpened by, malnutrition itself.”