BIBLIOGRAPHIC INPUT SHEET TEMPORARY Patterns of mortality ...

ChapterIX. NutritionalDeficiency
185
first extensive series of data on deceased is perhaps the most important cause of exchildren,
based on the study of multiple cessive mortality in developing areas. A
causes, which show the frequent and serious kind of vicious cycle is established whereby
involvement of nutritional deficiency with mothers who have been handicapped since
infectious diseases and its synergistic ef- early life by nutritional deficiency and
fects on those morbid conditions. The role other environmental factors give birth to
of increased host susceptibility to such dis- low-weight infants. Many of these infants
eases can be measured by the degree in die from infectious diseases )ecause of their
which nutritional deficiency is involved as increased vulnerability, and those who suran
associated cause of death. As was pointed vive continue heing at greater risk of the
out in Chapter VI, immaturity constitutes a hazards of the environment and of nutristate
of high vulnerability particularly dur- tional deficiency than those horn with satising
the neonatal period. After this period, factory weight. \leasured in terms of mortality
and reproductive wastage, the effects
nutritional deficiency is an indicator of into
disease, as was of inadequate nutrition on conmmunities tre
creased susceptibility
shown in Chapter VIII in regard 'to measles. exceedingly grave, es)eeially in women who
Infants and young children with evidence have numerous pregnancies. The conseof
immaturity or nutritional deficiency are quences of this cOimnlex eycle ire much more
more susceptil)le to infection, and thus serious when the implte on the child's in­
health programs must center on prevention telligence and adaptive capacity is taken
of both infectious diseases and nutritional into account. Evidence of this impact is
deficiency. Since immaturity and nutrition- accumulating (Winiek and Rosso, 1969). A
al deficiency in infants may be at least review of current knowledge about mhalnu­
partially due to deficient nutrition in the trition and its effects on brain and behavior
mother, particular emphasis should be was published recently by tile Pan Airerican
placed also on the health of women in the Health Organization (1972-a) in t volume
reproductive period, especially during preg- incorporating the research lpers presented
nancy. Infants of healthy mothers have and discussions conducted at a seminar held
better chances to be born with normal in Jamaica in January 1972.
welglIT a ,-1, .- 111e resistance to infec- Measures to break this vicious cycle
tion.
tirough aacquate nutrition of futur1e mothii-
What is now known about nutritional LV'; and their offspring and through reducdeficiency
as well as about low birth weight tion o! holnical wastage are mandatory in
and immaturity would seem to indicate that order to safeguard Lw health and intellithe
deficient nutritional state of populations gence of children.