Nutrition problem identification and development policy implications

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Abstract
Lasting nutrition improvement in developing countries is dependent on socio-economic development. Traditional descriptions of the nutrition problem fail to give adequate guidance for appropriate development activity; a more functional classification of groups at risk of malnutrition is attempted. A multi-purpose household survey of a Philippine province analyzed in this context reveals the prevalence of malnutrition among preschool age children to be generally related to the ratio of household income to the cost of calories in the household diet. Subsistence farm households are likely to eat more expensive calories with a shift to cash cropping. Their currently low energy intakes will probably be reduced unless income doubles when such a shift occurs. This type of approach appears to offer better opportunities for introducing nutrition considerations into development planning that could lead to improved nutrition.