Food and Nutrition Security – Concepts

Use and Utilization of food

Silvia Kaufmann (PhD)

Malnutrition –

outcome of food insecurity

The term malnutrition indicates a bad nutritional status.

Nutritional status is the physiological state of an individual.

It results from:

• the relationship between nutrient intake and requirements, and

the body’s ability to digest, absorb and use these nutrients.

A distinction must be made between Malnutrition and Undernutrition:

It arises either:

from deficiencies or excesses of specific nutrients, or

from undiversified diets (wrong kinds or proportions of foods).

“over or under”

It is the outcome of insufficient food.

It is caused primarily by an inadequate intake/utilisation of

nutrients or diseases.

Malnutrition

Undernutrition

Four Dimensions of

Food and Nutrition Security

4

Utilization

Accessibility

Availability

NutritionalStatus

Sta

bilit

y

Fig. 4

5

Conceptual Model of Malnutrition

...describes the immediate and

underlying causes of malnutrition

and their inter-relationships by

using a conceptual framework.

It is not simply a lack of food that

leads to malnutrition….

Conceptual

frameworks

Conceptual Model of Malnutrition

Malnutrition

Inadequate

Food Intake Disease

Poor Access

to Health Care

& Unhealthy

Environment

(Food

Security)

Immediate

Causes

Underlying

Causes

Basic

Causes

Household

Food

Insecurity

Poor Social

and Care Environment

Nutrition Security

The Malnutrition

Infection Cycle

Inadequate

dietary intake

Appetite loss

Nutrient loss

Malabsorption

Altered metabolism

Weight loss

Growth faltering

Lowered immunity

Mucosal damage

Direct Causes:

Malnutrition and Infections

Disease:

incidence

duration

severity

Nutrition throughout the life cycle

BabyLow birth

weight

ChildStunted

AdolescentStunted

PregnancyMaternal Nutrition

Low weight gain

Another conceptual framework for malnutrition:

the Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Mapping System (FIVIMS) framework for food security, livelihoods and nutrition.

Socio-economic and political environment

Food economy:

• availability

• access

• stability

Care practices

Health and sanitation

Nutritional status

Food consumption

(Food Use?)

Food utilization

Conceptual frameworks

11

Use and Utilisation

Effective utilisation refers to the ability to

1) Use the food in a manner that the nutritive contents and value of the food consumed

are maintained, the nutrients are well balanced and sufficient to met our nutritional requirements. (USE)

2) Physiological functions of the body to fully absorb and utilised the nutrients consumed. (UTILISATION)

Utilisation and StabilitySeasonal changes in nutritional status.

Many communities experience periods in the year when malnutrition levels are higher. These are influenced by seasonal patterns such as:

disease,

child care, time availability

income sources,

price of foods,

cropping patterns,

food availability

labour demand.

Conceptual Model of Malnutrition

Malnutrition

Inadequate

Food Intake Disease

Poor Access

to Health Care

& Unhealthy

Environment

(Food

Security)

Immediate

Causes

Underlying

Causes

Basic

Causes

Household

Food

Insecurity

Poor Social

and Care Environment

Nutrition Security

Indirect causes: CARE

Nutrition

The Social and Care Environment

The social context and care environment

within the household and local community

directly influence nutrition. This includes:

Direct caring behaviours

Women’s role, status & rights

Social organization and networks

Cultural context

What is CARING (CAPACITY)?

CaretakerCompetence

Feeding patterns

EnvironmentalSanitation

Maternal nutritional

status

Use of publichealth resources

Complementary foodpreparation

Food resources

Foodpreparationfacilities

Cultural beliefs

- Knowledge and Resources -

Gender Imbalances

Different levels of involvement in decision-making.

Unequal right to make decisions over the use of household resources leads to different perspectives in defining and solving problems.

Access to assets/facilities/services/basic needs (for girls, women and female headed households).

Food utilisation (restrictions/taboos, age and sex-specific nutritional needs); cultural practices diminishing the capacity of women to develop sustainable livelihoods.

World Food Programme18

Gender Division of Labour:The work roles, responsibilities, and activities assigned to women and men based on societal norms.

World Food Programme 19

Who are the primary care-givers?

World Food Programme 20

Note:

• Each of the underlying causes is

necessary but not sufficient to ensure

adequate nutrition.

• The combined effects of a failure in all 3

causes is greater than the sum of the

individual effects.

• Seasonal changes occur in all 3 causes.

• ‘Coping strategies’ carry costs.

Summary: Food Security Strategic Fields of ActionAvailability, Access, Stability and/or Utilisation

FOOD

AVAILABILITY

STABILITY

UTILISATION &

NUTRITION

ACCESS

TO FOODAgriculture/

food production

(crops,

livestock,

horticulture)

Employment

Formal

Informal

Urban

Rural

Emergency operations

Safety nets

Water and sanitation

Food stocksFood imports

Food aid deliveries

Infrastructure

Soil & water conservation

Food processing

& preservation

Feeding

Programmes

Nutrition

promotion

EducationHealth

Research & Extension

Information,

campaigns

Rural finance

Food marketing

Irrigation

21

Improving utilisation of food (1)• Promotion of food processing,

22

23

Constraints to

Effective UtilisationEffective utilisation of the food is often inhibited by

• inadequate intake, preparation

• diseases,

• lack of hygiene, sanitation and safe drinking water,

• lack of knowledge of nutrition issues

• lack of knowledge and means to prepare and consume the food in an appropriate and safe form.

• lack of time and caring capacities

Improving utilisation of food (2)• Certification and food safety

• Improve storage

25

Improving utilisation of food (3)• Diversification of food production and consumption

26

Improving utilisation of food (4)• Improving local consumption habits, in particular

child feeding practices

28

29

Constraints to

Effective UtilisationEffective utilisation of the food is often inhibited by

• inadequate intake, preparation

• diseases,

• lack of hygiene, sanitation and safe drinking water,

• lack of knowledge of nutrition issues

• lack of knowledge and means to prepare and consume the food in an appropriate and safe form.

• lack of time and caring capacities

Improving utilisation of food (5)

• Information campaigns on food and nutrition issues

• Literacy and

life skills training

• Promotion of

water

supply and

sanitation30

Information Material

• Manual on Improved CF F

• Family Nutrition Guide

• Booklet on Basic Nutrition education

• Food Processing Manual

Food, health and care are interrelated:

actions affecting one area may have significant consequences on another.

Development policies not always include nutrition specifically.

NUTRITION: every business nobodies responsibility

However, many of them impact the nutritional well-being of the population.

Policies

Thank You

For Your Attention!!!