Nutrition, Education and Productivity

Investing in nutrition is key to raising the productivity of our people, fostering the economic development of our country and putting El Salvador on a sustainable path of poverty reduction.

    

Good nutrition improves a person’s physical and intellectual capacity, promotes academic achievement and reduces illness and childhood mortality.   Conversely, malnutrition perpetuates the cycle of poverty by reducing productivity.  A child who is malnourished in the first years of life is more likely to grow into an adult with serious physical and intellectual limitations and therefore, with fewer opportunities for gainful employment.  He will be more susceptible to chronic illness such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure and heart disease. These illnesses increase the cost of health care for our country and reduce the quality of life and productivity of our work force.  By hindering the individual development and potential, malnutrition negatively affects the social progress of our country




Due to malnutrition in his early years, Johnny did not fully develop his bones and muscles.  This stunting and reduction of muscle mass will reduce his ability to do physical labor and will reduce his productivity as an adult.  One in 5 Salvadoran children face this same risk.



Malnutrition also affects brain development, reduces the intellectual capacity of children and makes it more difficult for them to learn in school and succeed academically.