What are the signs of malnutrition?

Malnutrition is a national problem. More than half a million Filipino schoolchildren are too thin for their height, while globally, one-third of all child deaths are related to malnutrition. How do you spot a child suffering from malnutrition? Malnourished children tend to have brittle, sparse and yellowish hair; long, curly eyelashes (due to poor protein synthesis and lack of keratin); a smooth tongue (sign of chronic deficiencies of Vitamin B12, folate or iron); a weak immune system, eye infections, bloated stomach (due to water retention in body tissues); and skin wounds that don’t heal properly. Bodily functions are also impaired, such as the function of the heart, kidney, brain, and intestines.

Read more on how to help prevent and treat malnutrition. See Rappler’s #HungerProject.