Face to Face with Nutrition Specialists
Poverty is not the key reason for malnutrition
Gary Tickle (right) Dr Sanjeev Ganguly (left)
Gary Tickle and Dr Sanjeev Ganguly are two eminent South Asian figures who have been working for long to combat malnutrition in the region. Gary Tickle is the regional Head of Nestle Nutrition and Dr Sanjeev Ganguly is the Medical Director, South Asia region of Nestle Nutrition Institute, a web based non-profit organisation comprising nutrition experts from all over the world. Recently they came to Bangladesh on a short visit and shared insights on nutrition with Star Health. Dr Sanjeev Ganguly: There are large number of children in the South Asian region chronically malnourished. Many people consider poverty as the key reason of this poor nutritional status of the children. But it is not all about money. Even in the higher income groups, the picture is alarming and up to 50 percent are underweight. It is clearly due to the lack of knowledge and resources. Intense education on nutrition right from birth to adolescents, during pregnancy and nurturing a baby is crucial to combat malnutrition. Most of the mothers have very little knowledge on proper nutrition according to age of a child, especially from 6 months after birth to 2 years. Unfortunately, there is very little option for education on nutrition among children, mothers and community health workers. Even in the undergraduate medical text books, nutrition is not properly emphasised. Government and health policy makers should include educational programme on nutrition for children, mothers, physicians and community health workers if they really want to make a difference. Gary Tickle: In order to provide proper nutrition, there should be proper knowledge based on scientific evidence. Ironically, old beliefs and taboos regarding food still persist in the region. The most effective way to improve nutritional status of the region is to create mass awareness and launch nationwide campaign to teach people about how to get proper nutrition from locally available sources. The right knowledge from the beginning can be a difference between life and death. The knowledge is power to ensure proper growth, to improve immunity; to prevent and control many nutrition related fatal complications like heart diseases, stroke, diabetes and other obesity related complications. Children are particularly at risk and hence they should be targeted with the priority in order to build a healthy future, a healthy nation. .................................................E-mail: rajibssmc@gmail.com
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