Recognition and Management of Malnutrition

Adequate nutrition is vital to everyone’s health and well-being. Even in the best of times there are multiple challenges to proper nutrition. These challenges are greatly increased in the aftermath of a natural or man-made disaster. An understanding of the local community and reliable information on local resources are critical in the development of a recovery strategy. It is important to remember that malnutrition increases morbidity and mortality of the affected population, particularly among the most vulnerable groups, such as children. Assessing the nutritional status of the population (through anthropometric measurements), identifying macro- and micronutrient deficiencies, and implementing preventive and therapeutic strategies increase dramatically the likelihood of successful recovery among populations affected by a disaster. Under these circumstances, the IMCI primary health care strategy provides a reasonable approach to enhance the achievement of this goal.