Food and nutrition security for women and children are important for nation's health and development

Аннотация

This article examines the crucial role of CITATION balanced nutrition in maintaining most favourable Abubakar Danjuma Bundaram. (2025). Food and nutrition security for health and wellbeing. A comprehensive analysis of women and children are important for nation’s health and development. The American Journal of Social Science and Education existing written works highlight the significance of Innovations, 7(02), 25–30. essential nutrients, including macronutrients, https://doi.org/10.37547/tajssei/Volume07Issue02-04 micronutrients, and fiber, in preventing chronic diseases, enhancing cognitive function, and promoting healthy weight management. The COPYRIGHT analysis underscore the importance of adopting a © 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the well-balanced diet, tailored to individual needs, to terms of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License. mitigate the risk of nutrition-related disorders and optimize quality of life. KEYWORDS: Food, nutrition, security for women, health, development. INTRODUCTION: Nutrition plays a vital role in maintaining most favourable health and wellbeing, influencing physical growth, cognitive function, and chronic disease risk. A balanced diet provides essential nutrients, including macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), and fiber. The global burden of malnutrition, including undernutrition and overnutrition, poses significant health and economic consequences. This review aims to summarize the current understanding of nutrition's impact on overall health, highlighting key nutrients, dietary patterns, and prevention strategies for nutrition-related disorders. Nutrition security implies "physical, economic and social access to an age-appropriate balanced diet, safe drinking water, environmental hygiene, and primary health care for all and awareness to utilise The American Journal of Social Science and Education Innovations 25 https://www.theamericanjournals.com/index.php/tajssei The American Journal of Social Science and Education Innovations these". Thus, nutrition security goes beyond food (use of latrines) and safe drinking water and access security. Nigeria being a country in developmental to primary health care need high priority. are, transition is facing the double burden of pre- important, for, nation's, health, and, development, transition disease (undernutrition and . Nutritiondiet, safe drinking water, ery health care communicable diseases) as well as post-transition for all and awareness to utilise these". Thus, diseases like overweight, obesity, diabetes, nutrition security goes beyond food security. hypertension, CVD, cancer. Besides having the Nigeria being a country in developmental transition highest incidence of undernutrition (especially is facing the double burden of pre-transition disease among children) in the world, Nigeria is regarded to (undernutrition and communicable diseases) as well be another diabetes centerl of the world. Maternal as post-transition diseases like overweight, obesity, undernutrition contributes to both. An diabetes, hypertension, CVD, cancer. Besides undernourished woman gives birth to a having the highest incidence of undernutrition malnourished low birth weight (LBW) child, who is (especially among children) in the world, Nigeria is doomed to impaired physical and mental regarded to be another diabetes centerl of the development. The window of opportunity for world. Maternal undernutrition contributes to both. rehabilitation is the first year after birth. Such An undernourished woman gives birth to a individuals are born with more body fat and less malnourished low birth weight (LBW) child, who is muscle and according to Barker's hypothesis are doomed to impaired physical and mental prone to obesity and associated non-communicable development. The window of opportunity for diseases in later life, especially if there is indulgent rehabilitation is the first year after birth. Such life style. Undernutrition -infection is a vicious cycle individuals are born with more body fat and less approach. Undernutrition predisposes to greater muscle and according to Barker's hypothesis are morbidity and mortality. Economic cost of prone to obesity and associated non-communicable undernutrition is direct due to increased burden on diseases in later life, especially if there is indulgent health care and indirect - loss of productivity, life style. Undernutrition -infection is a vicious cycle besides human suffering. The issue has to be approach. Undernutrition predisposes to greater addressed through human development (health, morbidity and mortality. Economic cost of nutrition, education, gender equity e.t.c) besides undernutrition is direct due to increased burden on economic development. Inter-country and within- health care and indirect - loss of productivity, country (between states) comparisons show that besides human suffering. The issue has to be for growth to be