Anjali Kumari, IILM College of engineering and technology
The patients who have a history with the diagnosis of malnutrition have an increased need for ventilation and risk of death when they test positive for the noble Coronavirus, as suggested in the new research. If there are no strict actions taken immediately, the ongoing pandemic will make the situation even harder for the vulnerable population who are at a higher risk of getting malnourished.
The Covid-19 pandemic is a crisis to public health, and it has the potential to worsen malnutrition among millions across the globe.
How the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the most vulnerable population?
A balanced nutritional diet is very important when a person is recovering from any illness. With the Covid-19 pandemic situation that is affecting people worldwide, there is an increased risk of malnutrition. Households are suffering due to the economic impact of full or partial lockdowns, social distancing, and quarantining. Income sources have gone down severely, and people with low income and daily wage workers remain the most affected. The shutdowns imposed by the government to control the spread of the coronavirus have caused further shifts in the food and dietary industry practices. It has also had a direct impact on malnutrition has been observed.
The data from the research suggests that the coronavirus and its complications may further trigger malnutrition.
It has become crucial because people who have been diagnosed with malnutrition previously, may encounter weaker immune systems, increased risk of mechanical ventilation, longer stays at hospitals, and the risk of untimely death. Furthermore, there is an increased risk of bacterial and viral infection too.
The study of patients and variables :
For this study, the data of 103,099 COVID-19 patients from 56 different hospitals in the United States were retrieved from March 2020 and June 2020.
The results were as follows :
6% of the children population (that is, 520) with COVID-19 was classified as severe.
Among them, 1.9% of children had a previous history of malnutrition.
12.1% (that is 11,423) of the adult population with severe COVID-19 had a previous diagnosis history of malnutrition.
Children older than five years and adults between the age group of 18 to 78 years with previous encounters with malnutrition were at higher risks as compared to people with no history of malnutrition.
The ASPEN (American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition) describes malnutrition as a clinical condition that may result in loss of weight over time, insufficient intake of energy as compared to the estimated needs. It also results in accumulation of fluid, and reduced grip strength which negatively affects overall growth and development.
Malnutrition is a global health problem for both children and adults, and it will continue to overlap with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation affecting millions all over the world.
If a child is malnourished during the initial 1000 days of his or her life, they may have fewer neural connections in their brain and this damage is irreversible. Such children are most likely to drop out of school or are less capable to learn and function as compared to healthy children.
How can we support the most vulnerable populations in our response to Covid-19?
1) Continuous nutrition and primary healthcare services should be provided.
2) They should have proper access to healthy foods and hygienic living conditions.
3) Emergency food distribution (including meals provided in schools) should be fortified with essential vitamins and minerals.
4) National communication campaigns on the COVID-19 situation should be rolled out so that more and more people are educated.
If we don’t take this situation seriously our coming generations will have to face the hard effects of COVID-19 and malnutrition.
Also read: Gene transfer in Gymnosperm: Ancient Mitochondrial genome
References :
1. Kurtz, A., Grant, K., Marano, R., Arrieta, A., Grant, K., Feaster, W., Steele, C., & Ehwerhemuepha, L. (2021). Long-term effects of malnutrition on severity of COVID-19. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 14974. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-94138-z
2. Hazlegreaves, Steph. ‘Malnutrition Linked to Higher Risk of Death from COVID-19’. Open Access Government.
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