Malnutrition stunts nations’ economy

World Bank report said that malnutrition, and not just lack of food, costs poor countries up to three per cent of annual economic output and must be tackled as a root cause of child mortality and stunted economic development. Citing “shocking” figures showing nearly half the children in India’s booming economy are undernourished, compared with a quarter of those in sub-Saharan Africa, the report said malnourished children are at risk of losing up to 10 per cent of lifetime earnings and are more prone to HIV infection. Improving nutrition could add two to three per cent a year to poor nations’ gross domestic product, as children would be less likely to drop out of school, and would absorb more education and boost their future income potential.

Folic acid averts birth defects

Folic acid in the diet not only helps prevent birth defects but also improves the survival chances of children born with them, says a report in Pediatrics. Folic acid is a B vitamin found in leafy green vegetables, fruits and other foods and is widely used as a dietary supplement during pregnancy. A look at more than 2,800 infants born with spina bifida between 1998 and 2001 found that 92 per cent of them survived the first year of life, compared to 90 per cent prior to 1998, when folic acid was added to grains for fortification. “Folic acid may play a role in restricting the severity of neural tube defects in addition to preventing the occurrence (of them),” said the study from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Chocolate lowers death rate

Regular consumption of cocoa may halve the risk of dying and lower blood pressure in elderly men, suggests a Dutch study. At five-year intervals over a 15-year period, 470 men aged over 65 were questioned about their dietary intake of cocoa. These men were placed in three groups according to their level of cocoa consumption. During the study, it was observed that men consuming more cocoa had lower blood pressure than the other groups. Cocoa contains an antioxidant called flavanols, which improves the elasticity of the blood vessels, thereby enabling them to respond to the changes in blood stream. It also improves insulin sensitivity.

11 lifeterms for 22 killings

A nurse who admitted killing 22 people by lethal injection over 16 years in New Jersey was sentenced to 11 consecutive life terms in prison. US Superior Court Judge Paul Armstrong sentenced Charles Cullen after 22 relatives of the victims confronted him from a podium. The murders, along with three attempted murders, were committed in hospitals and health care facilities.