Thousands of children in Romania have an unbalanced diet

Mothers know not to feed babies and do not resort to medical advice, specialists claim that based on studies and also cases recorded in the health authorities.

Nutritionally unbalanced diet consequences are disastrous, and thousands of children are deficient in iron, calcium, vitamins and minerals.

Public Health Department Botosani has in records more than 2,500 children suffering from severe anemia and rickets, a disease that affects muscles and immune system.

To this are added almost 100 cases of obesity at children under 14 years, figures reaching over 2500 to 18 years.

Dumitrita Mihailovici, pediatrician ,Director of Public Health Department ( DSP )Botosani, says that they "may be considered diseases of poverty as well".

"We speak not only of gross negligence, but also that parents are busy or away, they leave their children under grandparents surveillance and are not carefully monitored.

"There are unhealthy food practices that can lead to anemia and rickets.

"Studies that we have done with the Institute of Mother and Child in 2004 show that there is anemia at the age of 1 year of 40%, the percentage is not so much changed since then," said Dumitrita Mihailovici.

The figures are alarming, given that further development of children depends on the food they receive in the first five years of life.

Babies are at risk of having irreversible delays in cognitive, motor, social , emotional and behavioral development.

Most cases of anemia have been reported in rural areas.

"We noticed a higher prevalence in rural areas, generated by low educational level of mothers.

"Not resorting to medical services they cannot receive counseling and training," says the head of DSP Botosani.

Early assistance is vital

In rural areas, early assistance is provided by general practitioners or where there are , by community health workers.

But in this system is lacking, although early assistance is extremely important.

Because of economic problems, half of community nurses from Botosani County have resigned.

"Botosani county was pilot county in setting up the network of community nurses.

"In the '90s we started with 23, have built a network of 100 nurses and remained with 58 at present, 28 villages are covered in this regard.

"Community nurse connects people with medical, social and even health professionals and local authorities and he is necessary because is the person who walks through all the villages and identify people who need help!" says Lidia Onofrei, coordinator of community medical care activity in the Public Health Department(DSP) Botosani.

The latest study on nutrition for children aged 0 to 2 years achieved(in 2010) by the Institute for Mother and Child shows that most children in our country are deprived of a healthy diet early days of life, and egg and meat lack systematically in children’s diet, who are fed with biscuits, bread, puffs and, less frequently, cereals, potatoes and bananas.

Translated by Denisse-Meda Bucura
MTTLC, Bucharest University