Nutrition in the Developing World - Coursework Example

Nutrition in the developing world Assignment 1 Name: University: Tutor: Course: Date: INTRODUCTION The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees camp in question is situated in Nakivale. This is in the south-western region of Uganda. Uganda is a country in East Africa. The average temperature at this region is between 23o -27oc. “This camp holds approximately 60 000 people but this figure is expected to rise in the future due to political instability in the neighbouring countries mainly the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea. The recent drought in the neighbouring Kenya has also contributed in the growing numbers at the camp” (Guardian news and media limited, viewed 22nd February, 2010). “The major basic needs for the current population at the camp will be required to meet the nutritional needs of the population depending on the requirements of each age group. The food rations provided should also be adequate enough to facilitate the recovery of people undergoing malnutrition in the population” (Fortified Blended Food, 2010, viewed 12th February, 2010). The food rations provided should be able to meet the requirements of each person and also gradually lead everyone to recovery from the malnutrition. The food ration should be able to help everyone regain their required body weight depending on their age group. “Special attention should however be given to special groups like the infants, the pregnant women and the elderly” (Food rations for refugees, 1998, viewed 22rd February, 2010). “Their food ration should at least consist of the essential nutrients and some additional nutrients to address their special nutritional needs” (Fortified Blended Food, 2010, viewed 12th February, 2010). “The staple food in Uganda is mainly matoke (green banana’s- steamed), peanuts, maize meal and rice” (Uganda food, 2006). These are the local foods that can be easily obtained and assimilated into the food rations. Other foods that can be obtained locally are beans, millet and cassava. If these various foods are incorporated in the general food rations, the required kilo calories per person per day will be met. This camp has also a number of children under 1yr. It is recommended that children should be breast fed from birth till six months of age. “At six months, the introduction of other foods can begin. Extreme care should be observed when providing food for the very young children. The food should be easily digestible and should be prepared in the cleanest of environments” (Infant care issues, 1995-2010, viewed 20th February, 2010). “When the required food rations have been provided for a while, the population will regain good health. It is prudent at this point in time to look at long time food solutions for the refugees other that just food aid. Considering the location of the camp, agriculture is a good long term plan (Refugees revitalizing African communities, 2008 viewed 21 February, 2010). The people at the camp can advised to start on small scale farming to substitute the food aid. This will slowly stabilize the population and they can overtime become independent. CALCULATIONS The camp has a population of approximately 60 000refugees. To calculate the energy and protein needs of the population per day, the % of the population per age group is multiplied with the energy requirements of the age group per day. The product gives the kilo calories required by each age group per day. The sum of these figures for each age group will give the total amount of kilo calories required by the whole population, per day (Derivation of Recommended or Safe Protein Energy Ratios from Estimates of Requirements for Energy and for Protein, 1981 viewed 18th February, 2010). Table 1: Total kcal required by all the males in the given population Age group (% of population per age group) X (Energy requirements for the age group) Kcal required for the population of the age group 50 yrs (4262 ÷ 60 000) x 2010 14 278 Total 126 975 Table 2: Total kcal required by all the females in the given population Age group (% of population per age group) X (Energy requirements for the age group) Kcal required for the population of the age group 50 yrs (1475 ÷ 60 000) x 1780 4376 Total 77 395 There are 1,150 pregnant women in the camp. Pregnant women are considered a special group since their daily requirements is slightly higher than those of the women who are not pregnant. “It is recommended that each pregnant woman is given an additional 285 kcal above the recommended kcal for women at that age group” (Energy Requirements for Growth, Pregnancy, and Lactation, 1995, viewed 18th February, 2010) . Each of the 1150 pregnant women will receive an additional 285 kcal each. Therefore: 1150 x 285 = 327 750 kcal. The total kcal required by the whole population will be: Total kcal’s for males – 126 975 Total kcal’s for females – 77 395 Total additional kcal’s for the pregnant women – 320 750 525 120 The food ration provided for the population in this camp should be approximately 525,120 kcal each day. This will ensure that all the minimum average energy requirements for each person in each age group are met. Discussion Since the ration package has been determined, the total amount of food that will satisfy the needs of the population that is totally dependent on food aid can be calculated. The amount of food needed is represented in Metric Tons (MT). For this calculation, the average energy requirement for each person, 2100 kcal/day/person, is used so as to obtain a dependable result. “The various foods that will be given in each ration should be subdivided well in order to meet both protein and fat needs of the body. Food rations mainly consist of oil, cereal flour and pulses (Food rations for refugees, 1998 viewed 22nd February, 2010). The particular pulse of chosen should be a pulse that is locally available so as to cut down on the cost of food. In most food rations, the oil and the floor that is provided are fortified. This means that during their processing, the various foods are blended with important nutrients that are needed in the body, especially for the children, the elderly and the pregnant women. Blended foods are a very economical way of providing the required nutrients since provision of fresh fruit and vegetables can be very expensive (Fortification of food aid commodities, viewed 12th February, 2010). “There are several options of food rations that can be used. This will depend on the needs of the population and the readily available foods in the locality” (Food rations for refugees, 1998 viewed 22nd February). “If the most of the population is malnourished and the surrounding community does not have a good supply of food, then the option of fortified foods is looked in to so as to meet the requirements. But if the local community has readily available food and fresh fruit and vegetables, then the ration does not include any fortified foods” (Fortification of food aid commodities, viewed 12th February, 2010). In this case of the camp in Nakivale, Uganda, fortified foods would be recommended. This is would be important because there had been a disruption in food distribution and the people were receiving only half rations and the population is constantly in the increase. “An example of a food ration that would be applicable in this situation would be one that consists of fortified oil, blended food, cereal flour or rice and a pulse that is common to the population. Sugar and salt is also a good addition” (Food rations for refugees, 1998). To calculate the amount of commodities that will be required in each ration, the number of a gram of each particular food that is given per person is multiplied by the population size. This will get us the amount required of each particular food in each ration per day to feed the entire population (Derivation of Recommended or Safe Protein Energy Ratios from Estimates of Requirements for Energy and for Protein, 1981). In the case of the given population, we will use a ration that consists of: Table 3: Example of a suitable ration for the population in the camp Food type Amount per person Total kcal Protein in 100g Fat in 100 g Fortified oil 35g per person 315 - 100 g Blended food 100g per person 376 18 g 6 g Maize flour or rice 300g per person 1080 9 g 3.5 g Beans 100g per person 340 20 g 1.2 g Salt 5 g per person 20 - -- Total kcal 2,131 According to table 3 above, each person in the camp will receive approximately 2,111 kcal. This is an acceptable amount. To calculate the amount of food supplies needed to feed the whole population in the camp for 1 week (7 days) in metric tons (MT): Formula – (No. of grams of each food type per person) X (No. Of people in the camp) X (No. Of days) 1,000,000 N.B: The figure is divided by 1,000,000 to convert the grams to metric tons a) Fortified oil (35g / person) x (60,000 people in the camp) x (7 days) = 14,700,000 =  = 14.7 MT b) Blended food (100g / person) x (60,000 people in the camp) x (7 days) = 42,000,000 =  = 42 MT c) Maize flour or rice (300g / person) x (60,000 people in the camp) x (7 days) = 126,000,000 =  = 126 MT d) Beans (100g / person) x (60,000 people in the camp) x (7 days) = 42,000,000 =  = 42 MT The total Metric tons = (14.7 + 42 + 126 + 42) = 224.7 MT To satisfy the energy requirements of the population in the camp for one week, a total of 224.7 metric tons of food will be required. “According to the recommended food ration above, this would include 14.7 metric tons of fortified oil, 42 metric tons of blended food, 126 metric tons of cereal flour or rice and 42 metric tons of pulses per week. Salt and sugar are also an n important addition to any food ration” (Food rations for refugees, 1998 viewed 22nd February, 2010). In most cases, oil is blended with vitamins A and D. Flour is blended with vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), Niacin, Iron and Folic acid. The blended foods come with all the above mentioned micronutrients but also have in addition vitamins B12 and C, Calcium and Zinc. Blended foods are recommended so as to meet the daily requirements for these micronutrients since they greatly contribute in the enhancement of immunity and development in general. Fortification of various foods is also encouraged since it does not increase the final cost of the food product and does not alter the taste of the food (Requirements for Effective Fortification in Food Aid Programmes, 1995 viewed 21st February, 2010). Conclusion “Deficiency of the micronutrients leads to various deficiency symptoms which continue to affect the body if not dealt with. The deficiency of vitamin A leads to night blindness but could lead to complete blindness if it goes on unmonitored for a long time. The lack of adequate amounts of vitamin A, also diminish the ability of the body to fight infections. Infectious diseases like measles that affect children are quickly spread in a camp where there is a wide spread deficiency of vitamin A” (Micronutrients required, viewed 12th February, 2010 viewed 12th February, 2010). Another very important micronutrient is iron. Iron is one of the most useful micronutrients in the human body. “It is present in most of the body’s cells. More importantly, it takes an active role in the transfer of oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body since it is a part of haemoglobin. Deficiency of iron leads to anaemia. This condition is predominant in children and the pre menopausal women. Pregnant women also require a high amount of iron (Health notes- iron and vitamin deficiency, viewed on 19th February). The amounts of micronutrients that are obtained from the fortified foods are enough for most of the population but for the special groups like the children, the pregnant women and the elderly, these levels of micronutrients might not be as sufficient. The long term plans should include more nutritious rations for these special groups so as to eliminate the risk of disease since this would lead to a more expensive solution. “The food rations should also be revised to factor in the age bracket that engages in the difficult tasks. This group should receive larger portions so as to keep up with the activity” (Amounts required in food rations, viewed 24th February, 2010). References Uganda Food, viewed 21st February, 2010, www.africaprofile.com/uganmda-food.html Amounts required in food rations, viewed 24th February, 2010, www.unhcr.org Blended foods, viewed 20th February, 2010, www.wfp.org/fortified-blended-food. Calculation of the nutritional value of food rations, viewed 16th February, 2010, www.unscn.org . Calculation of food rations, viewed 15th February, 2010, www.org/nutrition/index-emergencies.html. Energy Requirements for Growth, Pregnancy and Lactation, viewed 18th February, 2010, www.nap.edu/openbook.php, 2005. Fortification of food aid commodities, viewed 12th February, 2010, www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=6009&page=4, 1997. Food rations for refugees, viewed 22rd February, 2010, www.fieldresearch.msf.org, 1998. Guardian News and Media Limited, viewed 22nd February, 2010, www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2008 Infant care issues viewed 20th February, 2010, www.ethnomed.org/clinical/mother-and -infant-care. Iron and Vitamin A micronutrients, viewed 20th February, 2010, www.worldhunger.org. Malnutrition, viewed 22nd February, 2010, www.cba ca/news/background/refugeecamp. Micronutrient fortification, viewed 21 February, 2010, www.world hunger.org/articles. Micronutrients required, viewed 12th February, 2010, www.unicef.org/nutrition. Protein- energy rations, viewed 19th February, 2010, www.fao.org/DOCREP/MEETING/004 Requirements for Effective Fortification in Food Aid Programmes, viewed 21 February, 2010, www.fao.org/docrep/w2844E/w2840e.od.htm, 1995. Health notes, viewed 19th February, 2010, www.vitacost.com/healthnotes Refugees revitalizing African communities, viewed 21 February, 2010, www.forgenoe.org/content/forge-refugee camps Read More