Nutrition and national development, establishing the connection

THE EXISTING LITERATURE IS LIMITED BOTH IN ITS ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM AND IN ITS PROPOSALS FOR ACTION. VARIOUS HYPOTHESES ADVANCED HAVE NOT BEEN SERIOUSLY TESTED IN NATIONAL SETTINGS. UNTIL SUCH ANALYSES ARE CONDUCTED, THE ONLY SOUND ARGUMENTS FOR EFFORTS TO REDUCE MALNUTRITION WILL CONTINUE TO BE IDEOLOGICAL AND ETHICAL. THE CAUSES OF MALNUTRITION HAVE BEEN FOUND PRIMARILY AMONG THE MALNOURISHED, AND NOT IN THE SOCIAL ORDER IN WHICH THEY LIVE. THERE HAS BEEN NO SERIOUS EXAMINATION OF THE ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESIS: THAT THE PERSISTENCE OF WIDESPREAD MALNUTRITION IS LARGELY A REFLECTION OF THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATION AND CHOICES OF DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES. CHILD FEEDING PROGRAMS HAVE USUALLY NOT BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE BECAUSE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS OFTEN PREVENT THESE PROGRAMS FROM MEETING THEIR NUTRITIONAL GOALS. IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, GROUPS HAVING THE GREATEST NEED ARE OFTEN LEGALLY OR FUNCTIONALLY EXCLUDED FROM THE BENEFITS OF CHILD FEEDING PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS FROM OTHER SOCIAL WELFARE MEASURES. WHAT IS NEEDED IS A CHANGE IN THE RESEARCH PRIORITIES OF THE NUTRITION COMMUNITY. IT SHOULD FOCUS ITS ATTENTION ON DEVELOPING A BETTER ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM IN ITS SOCIAL CONTEXT. THE BASIC ASSUMPTION THAT NUTRITIONAL STANDARDS CAN BE IMPROVED WITHOUT ALTERING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES MAY WELL BE WRONG.