Journal of Biochemistry International

This review reports the morbidity and mortality attributed to malnutrition which exacerbates the attainment of some of millennium development goals (MDGs) in the developing countries. Under-nutrition in forms of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) and micronutrient deficiency (MD) are major health burden and important risk factors for illness and death in the developing countries caused by food insecurity, diseases, ignorance, lack of education especially that of nutrition and corruption-cum-poverty. PEM, which manifests as marasmus and kwashiorkor, and MD, which occurs as lack of iron, iodine, vitamin A and zinc, are associated with reduced growth and physical strength, retardation of mental functions, immune deficiency, anaemia and early death. Different age groups are affected by under-nutrition especially under-five years old children and child-bearing women. In the developing countries 815 million people were undernourished in 2000-2002 which had increase to 827 million in 2011-2013. Malnutrition is the biggest contributor to child mortality, presents in half of all cases world widely, while 54% of childhood deaths were caused by it in developing countries. These morbidity and mortality have such negative impacts as increasing poverty and hunger, impairing cognitive capacity and reducing school attendance especially for girls, associating with 54% of childhood deaths and greatly increasing the risk of maternal death, increasing the incidence of diarrhoea, HIV/AIDS and other diseases that exacerbate the attainment of the MDGs.The progress achieved so far towards attaining MDGs in the developing countries is being deteriorated largely by the increasing under-nutrition in Africa especially the Sub-Saharan Africa. It is therefore suggested that education status of parents, especially of mother, on nutrition, sanitation and common disease prevention strategies should be improved to reducing the morbidity and mortality attributed to malnutrition; government policy and political will should be invested in alleviating poverty such as establishment and implementation of safety net; technology of different types should be developed and disseminated to the people; micronutrient-rich crops should be bred and made available to the people; family planning methods should be encouraged and adopted by individual household and, a host others.