Malnutrition in South Africa

Malnutrition continues to be a problem in the Republic of South Africa, although it is not as endemic as in other countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. 15% of South African infants are born with a low birth weight. 5% of South African children are so underweight they are considered to be wasted. Since the 1990s South Africa's malnutrition problem has remained fairly stable. It is estimated that South Africa loses about US$1.1 billion every year in GDP to vitamin and mineral deficiencies arising from malnutrition, although it would only cost an estimated US$55 million to alleviate this problem through micronutrient nutrition interventions. The prevalence of malnutrition in South Africa varies across different geographical areas and socio-economic groups. Many infants in Africa suffer from malnutrition because their mothers do not breastfeed them. The mothers in South Africa that do not breast feed their children do not do it mainly to try to avoid the possibility that in doing so, their children may contract AIDS. The 2010 South Africa Department of Health Study found that 30.2% of pregnant women in South Africa have AIDS. Malnutrition can cause several different health problems, such as pellagra. The specific consequences of malnutrition vary depending on the individual and the specific nutrients the individual's diet is lacking. South Africa's Department of Health has established various special programs and initiatives, like the Integrated Nutrition Program, to combat the detrimental effects of malnutrition. All programs and initiatives have faced copious challenges and their individual success rates vastly vary as a result. Malnutrition can lead to an onslaught of additional health complications, and eventually even death. In fact, UNICEF found that 11.4% of deaths of South African children under five can be attributed to low weight, making low birth weight the second most prominent cause of children's death in South Africa. According to 2008 statistics, out of 10 million children's deaths, 5.6 million can somehow be attributed to malnutrition. Although all cases of malnutrition in South Africa will not necessarily lead to death, they will most likely lead to a decline in health. The most easily preventable yet most prominent detrimental health conditions associated with malnutrition are nutrient deficiencies. A deficiency in iron levels can lead to anemia, which is a condition classified by decreased hemoglobin levels in the blood. 21.4% of pre-school children have anemia in South Africa. Anemia is also a major cause of maternal mortality. Approximately 50% of pregnant women in South Africa have anemia. Anemia causes tiredness and weakness. If left untreated for long periods of time, it can damage the heart, brain, and other vital organs. Another common nutritional problem among South Africans is hypocalcemia, a deficiency in calcium. In a study of a randomly chosen rural South African community, 13.2% of children were found to have abnormally low levels of calcium in their blood. Additional studies done on South African children show that this deficiency can lead to Rickets. Rickets causes weakness and pain in bones and dental structures, impaired growth, muscle cramps, and skeletal deformities. Many South Africans also have a Thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency. A serious deficiency in this vital nutrient can cause beriberi, which has the immediate symptom of severe lethargy. If left untreated, Beriberi can cause inflammation of the nervous system and even heart failure. Heart failure associated with beriberi is especially prominent in Johannesburg, the capital of South Africa.