ABSTRACT
The mass media dramatically brought us the picture of hunger from Africa—starving children, skin and bone, with the bloated bellies, too weak to even stand up. The concern must be with the persistence of malnutrition among those who are unable to get enough to eat. The term “malnutrition” is uses to describe the lack or deficiency of other basic requirements, particularly protein, vitamins, or minerals. The purpose of nutritional standards is set forth by the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama: In public health practice, the definition of a standard should be bases on other criteria than that dictated by paediatric practice. There are numerous techniques for determining the existence of undernutrition and classifying or grading it. The persistence of undernutrition is directly linked to the persistence of poverty and inequality. The “economic miracle” in Brazil is well known.
