This week I review an organization that I have researched
before. The organization is called Zero to Three. The organization’s focus is
to train and support professionals, policymakers and
parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers.
You can visit their website at http://www.zerotothree.org/.
While viewing their websites I registered for newsletters to
be sent to my personal email. There newsletters are monthly so I have not received
one yet, but am waiting patiently! I was looking at their website to see an
issue or trend that caught my attention. I found an article named, “Good
Nutrition Feeds Healthy Development and a Healthy Future”. This article was
about the reestablishment of The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children
(WIC). In the article it showed research on the
impact of child nutrition programs. The article states, “A young child
who goes hungry or consistently lacks nutritious food or breast milk is less
likely to grow and develop properly. In fact, infants and toddlers living in
food insecure households are 76% more likely than those living in food secure households
to be at developmental risk” (2009). I feel that this impacts many different
families from around the world. In some places in the world formula is not
used. In today’s society in the U.S., I hear people all the time saying the
breast feeding is too difficult and does not work for a baby that is over 8
pounds. This could be an issue for families around the globe that breastfeeding
is their only option. It also could be an issue for different people in our
society that do not have money for formula. The article also stated that people
that live in rural areas have limited access to nutritious food. This surprised
me because I would believe that farmers that live in rural areas would grow
crops that would be nutritious. I guess at the same time, there are only so
many crops that will survive in one area. By looking at this data, I believe
that more relief programs should be looking to support our rural communities.
The article also quoted, “Because poverty is often not as geographically concentrated
in rural areas as it is in urban areas, this method of reimbursement unfairly
affects providers in rural districts” (2009).
I can truly believe this fact.With this current issue
happening right now, I hope that other people read this data and agree with it.
Being able to give all individuals the same help should be a priority in our
country.
(2009). Good Nutrition Feeds Healthy Development and a
Healthy Future http://main.zerotothree.org/site/DocServer/Nutrition.pdf?docID=9081
Wow abigial thanks for sharing I know there were problem with hunger and nutrtion however never new how bad or how much it really affected a person. I really wish there were more programs and enough money in the world to help everyone so no one has to suffer. My husband is a emt and he tells me all the time stories about people he picks up there is a young lady and child they pick up once a month who the mother makes up stories that the child is sick so they will take him to the hospital just so he can get a hot meal he says its always around the 30 they think when there money alloted for food stamps runs out it just breaks my heart people especially children are suffering like this
ReplyDeleteI just love your posts also. Zero to Three is such a great site. I don't think people realize how important nutrition is and people who feed their children candy and soda later develop rickets because the body is just not growing like it suppose to. Let me know when that newsletter starts. I think you inspired me to sign up for one also.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed your post this week! Zero to three is a great site that has endless information on many topics. Nutrition for children is so very important and I feel that many people are not aware of this. I look forward to reading more of your posts and looking further into their website.
ReplyDeleteAbigial,
ReplyDeleteI choose the same site of Zero to Three and there is a wealth of information available on the site that can be applied to any topic. I am currently working with a young mom who decided to breast feed her now 4 month old child and while over the summer it proved to be the best, however now school is back in session and working around busy schedules she is not producing as much milk as she was before and we've with the assistance of her doctor had to venture to adding formula to the child's diet, mom was saddened by this but understood her child's health and nutrition was most important.