CSO-SUN attributes Zambia’s poor ranking to child stunting

Civil Society Organization-Scaling up Nutrition (CSO-SUN) has attributed Zambia’s poor ranking on the Global Hunger Index (GHI) report to the alarming percentage of child stunting which stands at 40%.

Programs Officer Mwandwe Chileshe says child stunting in children is one of the prominent factors used by the GHI to measure levels of hunger.

She says good nutrition alone will not end this poor ranking trend in Zambia, but that water and sanitation should be of even greater importance.

Ms. Chileshe tells QFM that Zambia should look at the measures other countries such as Malawi have come up with to curb hunger.

And Ms Chileshe says there is need to move away from mono diet as eating the same type of food is contributing to high levels of malnutrition in the country.

She explains that consuming one type of food means having micro nutrient deficiency thereby increasing cases of malnutrition.

Ms Chileshe notes that mono diet is being perpetuated by mono cropping practiced in Zambia where the main crop grown is maize.

She states that malnutrition is not only being under nourished, but also having the same type of food in excess leading to obesity.

Ms Chileshe has since encouraged people to begin to diversify and consume a variety of foods in order to balance up their diet.

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