NUTRITIONAL HEALTH SERVICES

GOALS:

POLICIES:

  1. Nutritional Surveillance (NS): to determine victims of malnutrition
    1. Anthropometric Measurement: study of measurements of human dimensions
      • Age for Weight-if weight is not appropriate with the age:
        • Stunting: growth retardation
        • Wasting: connotes malnutrition
      • Age for Height-if height is not appropriate with the age: Stunting
      • Weight for Height
      • Skin Folds Test-pinch the external oblique muscle (“bilbil”) with your palm
        • Normal: 1 inch
        • Overweight: > 1 inch
      • Middle Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC)-used in children below 5 years old by measuring the middle upper arm with a tape measure
        • Normal: 13 cms. & above
        • Malnutrition: <13 cms
    2. Biochemical Method
      • Micronutrient Malnutrition : available in small amount in the body VADAG:
        • Vitamin A Deficiency:
          • Deficiency: Xeropthalmia-opacity of cornea leading to night blindness
            • Infants (6-12 months) : Give 100,000 i.u.
            • Pre-schoolers (12-83 months) : 200,000 i.u.
            • Post partum : 200,000 i.u.
          • Never give Vitamin A to infants less than 6 months & pregnant women because it is toxic
        • Anemia: Iron Deficiency Anemia
          • Target age group: 0-59 months (less than 5 years)
          • Give 3-6 mg/kbw/day
          • Always give the maximum
          • Example: Child weighs 8 kg
          • 8 x 6=48 mg/day for the 1st 3 months then monitor If still anemic, continue giving but compute again 6 mg/kbw
        • Goiter: Iodine Deficiency Disease (endemic in uphill)
          • Target age group: 0-59 months
          • Give 1 capsule (200 mg) of potassium iodate in oil once a year
          • For a child < 5 years old, empty contents of capsule in a cup with warm water because he can’t tolerate it
            • Adverse Effect of Iodine Deficiency Disease that must be avoided:
              • Mental retardation-intelligence quotient: idiot, moron & imbecile
              • Growth retardation- cretinism (pedia) & dwarfism (adult)
            • Macronutrient Malnutrition - available in large amount in the body (Protein Energy Malnutrition or PEM)
              • Kwashiorkor-protein deficiency
              • Marasmus-carbohydrate deficiency (energy giving food)
  2. Food Production