Malnutrition and Human Capital: Problems of Theory and Practice

Abstract

Just now there is something of a crisis of confidence in the field of applied nutrition. This may perhaps seem strange, indeed irritating to many people, in the light of so much dramatic evidence of acute starvation as well as the widespread persistence of chronic hunger. In past years, a chapter such as this might have begun with a review of the extent of different kinds of nutritional deficiency diseases and their differential causes, and would then have proceeded to describe appropriate interventions: correction of nutrient deficiencies (vitamins, minerals, and especially proteins); education programmes to correct cultural ‘errors’ in the use or intra-household distribution of different foods, or to correct distortions of consumer behaviour due to rapid socio-economic changes; food distribution programmes intended to bring immediate relief to those presently unable to afford an adequate diet. Now, after a very substantial investment on an international scale in basic and applied research, and in evaluation of such programmes, C. Gopalan (1980) writing about India says:

We have therefore to conclude that during the last 30 years, in spite of all our advances in the agricultural, industrial and technological fields, and in spite of several ‘applied nutrition programmes’ and ‘supplementary feeding programmes’, we have not really made any significant dent on the problem of malnutrition in our children. We have reduced infant and child mortality to some extent and we have thus ‘saved’ many children whom, otherwise, the merciful hand of death would have removed. There is thus an increasing pool of survivors who have escaped death but who exist in a substandard state of health and nutrition with permanent impairment of functional competence and productivity. The result is a progressive erosion and deterioration of the ‘quality’ of our human resources.