IPS examines undernourishment, efforts to reverse vitamin deficiencies

"Poverty is the leading cause of many vitamin deficiencies, especially vitamin A," and the problem is acute in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where food staples such as cassava and rice are high in calories but low in nutrients, Inter Press Service reports. Some experts say parents' lack of knowledge about the nutritional requirements for children can lead to undernourishment, particularly in children under age five, the news service notes. "Still, there are signs that the trend is changing, largely due to a renewed push by development practitioners around the world to tackle the problem," IPS writes and describes several efforts to improve access to vitamins. The news service concludes, "Nutrition plays a role in achieving almost every [Millennium Development Goal] -- its impact on child health, for instance, could also boost the number of children attending school, promote gender equality by empowering women to take a more active role in their children's health, and also improve maternal health, thereby reducing the maternal mortality ratio" (11/26).