|
A 2008 census in the school system of Guatemala revealed that 49% of the students are chronically malnourished. Among the indigenous population, the rate reaches a staggering 80% in some areas. As of 2002, the infant mortality rate was at 44 per 1,000 births while the under-five mortality was 59 per 1,000 births.
In conjunction with proper nutrition, many children are affected by illnesses that could have otherwise been prevented with an adequate daily diet. Over 50% of the deaths of young children are caused by infectious diseases such as malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, and the measles, all diseases that can be easily fought with good nutrition and medical resources.
A malnourished baby can survive, but often that child grows up with impaired brain activity or stunted growth. This is a problem which World Vision states “affects some 178 million preschoolers in developing countries.”
|
|
|
