Full but not nourished: Why is nutrition a basic need?

Overview

In this article, we’ll cover:

• Why nutrition is a basic need

• Good nutrition starts before birth

• Essential nutrients kids need

• The cost of malnutrition

• Clementino’s recovery from malnutrition

• How World Vision helps prevent and treat malnutrition

• How you can help feed hungry children

What is a basic need?

Most of us would agree that food, water, shelter and healthcare are the core basic needs for survival. They are the bare minimum we need to stay healthy, safe and able to live with dignity. When you take any one of them away, our quality of life can quickly deteriorate.

Nutrition is often overlooked as a necessity because it’s assumed to be part of food. But food and nutrition are not the same thing. You can eat enough food to satisfy your hunger, but you won’t get vitamins, minerals and other nutrients if your diet consists of nothing but junk food.

This distinction is especially important for children. Their growing bodies need a steady supply of nutrients to promote healthy development, learning and immunity. These nutrients help support cell function, growth and repair. That’s why good nutrition deserves recognition as a basic need at every stage of life.

Without nutrients, we can be full but not nourished. We can survive but not thrive.

What’s good for mom is good for the baby

Good nutrition doesn’t just start at birth—it starts before the baby is even born. Healthy eating before and during pregnancy helps expectant mothers:

• Receive all the nutrients their bodies need to support a healthy pregnancy.

• Reduce the risk of developing conditions that can put babies at risk, such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes and obesity.

• Stay healthy during pregnancy and deliver healthy babies.

A balanced diet, regular exercise and daily vitamin supplements work together to support the health of moms and their growing babies. They are especially important during the first trimester, when the baby’s brain, heart and lungs begin to develop.

What moms eat during pregnancy helps give their babies the best start in life. This would include a variety of:

• Fruits and vegetables: Dark leafy greens like kale, and orange veggies like carrots or sweet potatoes.

• Whole grains: Oats, wild rice, whole wheat pasta, etc.

• Protein-rich foods: Eggs, fish and shellfish, legumes, lean cuts of meat and red meat, low-fat dairy like milk and yogurt, fortified soy products.

After birth, a baby’s best source of nutrition is breast milk. According to the World Health Organization, breast milk helps babies and children:

• Develop antibodies to help fight and prevent infection.

• Have better vision.

• Avoid developing asthma, allergies or serious illnesses.

• Perform better in school.

• Maintain a healthy weight and avoid obesity.

• Be less prone to diabetes later in life.

An exclusive diet of breast milk for the first six months of life helps babies achieve optimal growth, development and health. But what happens when a mom can’t produce her own breast milk or a baby is orphaned?

In Cotobato City, Philippines, the Ministry of Health partnered with World Vision to create a breast milk bank for babies at risk for malnutrition. In just a year, the rundown health centre became a lifeline, providing nutrient-rich breast milk to hundreds of moms and babies in the community and beyond.

The success of Cotobato City’s breast milk bank shows that easy access to proper nutrition, combined with community-wide support, can help moms nourish their babies, even in rural communities.

Essential nutrients to support growth and development

Nutrition is especially important during childhood. The first years of life are a period of rapid growth and development, and children need nutrients to fuel that process.

Nutrients help children:

• Build strong bones and muscles

• Support healthy brain development

• Strengthen their immune systems

• Learn, play and stay active

We get nutrients from the food and drinks we consume every day. A healthy, balanced diet includes a wide range of food to ensure the body gets all the nutrients it needs.

Children need a combination of macronutrients for energy and micronutrients to support good health. Foods that naturally contain these nutrients can easily be found in the grocery store:

• Carbohydrates: Grains, fruits, rice, starchy vegetables, beans and milk.

• Fats: Nuts, seeds, oils, butter, sour cream and mayonnaise.

• Proteins: Meat, poultry, fish and eggs.

• Iron: Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, tofu and whole grains.

• Vitamin A: Dairy products, eggs, fish, liver and liver products, fruits and vegetables.

• Vitamin D and calcium: Dairy, salmon, tuna, mackerel, and dark green vegetables like broccoli, kale and Chinese cabbage.

• Zinc: Shellfish and fish, meat, poultry, legumes, nuts and seeds, dairy products, eggs and whole grains.

• Iodine: Fish and seafood, dairy products, eggs and soy-based foods.

The cost of malnutrition

Without adequate nutrients, your body won’t have the energy needed to perform even basic tasks.

Signs of nutrient deficiency include:

• Fatigue

• Muscle weakness

• Dizziness

• Irregular heartbeat

• Weight loss

• Difficulty concentrating

• Increased illness

• Delayed growth

These effects become more serious over time. See your doctor if you feel any or all these symptoms to get a proper diagnosis.

Children with malnutrition may experience:

• Poor physical growth

• Delayed or reduced cognitive development

• Poor school performance

• Weakened immune systems

• Frequent illnesses and increased risk of infection

Malnutrition can take a heavy toll on kids and lead to lifelong consequences:

• Lack of energy and gnawing hunger take a child’s focus away from learning.

• Constant fatigue and illness keep kids out of school.

• Falling behind in school can lead to students dropping out.

• Job opportunities for people without diplomas are often low-paying and labour intensive, potentially trapping them and their families in a cycle of poverty.

Not all cases of malnutrition are easy to spot. Kids who appear small for their age or seem healthy can still lack essential vitamins and minerals and be at risk of malnutrition.

Clementino’s recovery from malnutrition

When Clementino was growing up in Mozambique, his mother Anastancia noticed he was losing weight but assumed he was naturally thin. She didn't realize the dry, pale skin and brittle hair he developed were signs of malnutrition.

Everything changed when a local health volunteer recognized the warning signs and encouraged Anastancia to take her son to a health facility. There, Clementino received treatment and nutritional support, while his mother learned how to prepare enriched porridge at home.

The results were dramatic. Once weak and uninterested in play, Clementino gradually regained his health. His weight increased from 14 kilograms to 21 kilograms, and today he is active and able to play with other children.

Clementino's story shows how malnutrition can develop unnoticed—and how early intervention and proper nutrition can help children recover and thrive.

Wasted potential, stunted opportunities

Children are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition because their bodies and brains are developing rapidly and require more nutrients to keep up. Children affected by malnutrition are often described as wasted or stunted.

Wasting

Wasting is often associated with acute food shortages, disease outbreaks or emergencies.

Children affected by wasting:

• Are severely weak.

• Are too thin for their height.

• Have weak immune systems.

• Are prone to diseases such malaria, cholera or pneumonia.

• Have a higher risk of death from common infections.

Stunting

Stunting occurs when children experience long-term nutritional deficiencies over months or years.

Children affected by stunting:

• Are shorter than expected for their age.

• May experience delayed cognitive development.

• Often face long-term health and learning difficulties.

Because of these symptoms, children who are stunted often face lifelong consequences and limited futures.

What are the barriers to nutrition?

Good nutrition is a basic need, but not everyone has access to it. In many countries around the world, malnutrition often stems from interconnected barriers that make life difficult for children to thrive.

Poverty

The underlying cause of malnutrition across the globe. Low-income families may struggle to access nutritious foods, clean water, healthcare and sanitation, affecting the health and development of their children.

Conflict

Wars and armed conflicts can force families from their homes, disrupt food systems and limit access to healthcare. Keeping kids nourished in overcrowded refugee camps is a huge challenge, especially when funding is scarce.

Natural disasters

Crops, livestock and food supplies can be wiped out by droughts, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes, and can take years to replenish.

Disease outbreaks

During outbreaks, accessing food can be restricted as livelihoods, travel, essential services and healthcare systems are severely impacted.

Climate change

Climate change can affect agricultural production, increase food prices and make nutritious foods less accessible.

World Vision helps families and communities gain food security with solutions such as gender equality, economic empowerment, sustainable agricultural practices and climate resilience. These solutions help families overcome their challenges and make plans for a better future.

How does World Vision help prevent and treat malnutrition?

Decades of experience have shown us that preventing malnutrition is the best way to protect children before it becomes severe. Two of the methods we use are Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP) and Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF).

Growth Monitoring and Promotion

Growth Monitoring and Promotion helps to:

• Spot signs of malnutrition early so children can get help before their condition worsens.

• Track a child’s growth over time by regularly checking their height and weight.

• Connect families with healthcare services available in their community.

• Make healthcare more accessible by bringing services closer to where families live.

• Link parents to additional support, such as nutrition education, community and home garden initiatives, livelihoods programs, vaccinations and child health services.

Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)

Children under five with severe acute malnutrition often require specialized treatment.

One of the most effective treatments is Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF). One sachet of this peanut-based paste is fortified with:

• Five hundred calories

• Protein

• Healthy fats

• Vitamins

• Minerals

Made primarily from peanuts, milk powder, vegetable oil, sugar and added nutrients, RUTF helps children:

• Regain weight

• Rebuild strength

• Restore their immune systems

What makes RUTF so powerful at treating severe malnutrition?

• It doesn’t need to be refrigerated.

• No cooking or utensils required—kids can eat it straight from the packet.

• Contains zero water so it can’t grow bacteria.

• It can be used anywhere, even remote areas where access to healthcare is limited.

• A full treatment of RUTF can help a child recover in just six to eight weeks.

Help prevent malnutrition and support healthier futures

Every child deserves access to nutrients they need to survive, grow, learn and thrive. Without adequate nutrition, children are at risk of developing malnutrition, one of the world’s most preventable health challenges.

Here’s how you can help feed hungry children:

• Give to Where Most Needed: For as little as $19 (monthly or one-time gift) you can help children and families meet their urgent needs and fund vital programs that are short on resources.

• Sponsor a child: Your monthly gift of $49 can help address things like access to health and nutrition, education, advocacy and protection, and so much more.

Check out our Ways to Give page for more gift options that make a lasting impact.