Helping to feed the undernourished under‐fives in developing countries

Current research indicates that early protein‐calorie malnutrition, which in some developing countries may affect 20% of all pre‐schoolers, is a serious deterrent to social and economic development because of its deleterious effect on the health, education, and productivity of the adult. Chronic undernourishment, though its manifestations are less apparent, may be equally damaging. Benefits expected from the ‘Green Revolution’ certainly cannot reach most of the world's population at need soon enough to prevent the erosion of human resources, and the existence of malnutrition must be recognized as a threat to national development, not merely a moral problem whose solution is thought of in medical or public health terms. Unfortunately however, national nutrition programmes undertaken in developing countries have thus far, by and large, shown disappointing results.