Maternal and child health nutrition matters
cynthia mary
Chief Clinical Officer, Director, project manager, community health officer
Why Maternal and Child Health Nutrition Matters
Naomi is a 25-year-old single mother in the second trimester of her second pregnancy and has gained more weight than she planned. Additionally, she was never able to return to her pre-pregnancy weight after the birth of her first child. Naomi commutes 15 miles by bus to her job at a food processing plant. At the end of her long and tiring day, she often takes her daughter to one of the many fast-food restaurants in her low-income neighborhood. The low wages she earns do not always cover both rent and food for the whole month. Despite her high calorie diet, Naomi isn't able to get the right nutrients. Eating foods with inadequate nutrients, beginning pregnancy with a high maternal weight, and excessive weight gain in pregnancy are factors that may put Naomi and her baby at risk for health problems for the rest of their lives.
Naomi is like many women who have a higher risk of poor health outcomes. In fact, many families in low income communities have difficulty accessing healthy foods. They may not be able to afford healthy food or have time for food shopping and preparation. Their neighborhoods are unsafe to walk in and have poor transportation to retail stores that offer healthier foods.
Access to healthy food is important not only for Naomi but also for her children and grandchildren. Nutrition-related health risks and protective factors are passed from one generation to the next. Naomi's health is affected by what she experienced during her own childhood and adolescence, and even on the experiences of generations before her.