• by Jay Naidoo
• Wednesday, November 02, 2011
• Inter Press Service

Science has shown that the first 1000 days of life have a major impact on the future of a child, her community, and her nation. If her mother is well nourished, she has a much better chance of surviving her first months of life. If she is breast-fed for the first six months and then receives nutritious baby foods containing essential vitamins and minerals until the age of two, she is more likely to complete her education, have a higher IQ, and earn up to 46 percent more over her lifetime, writes Jay Naidoo, Chairman of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)

In this article, the author writes that half of the failure to grow in the first two years occurs during pregnancy. It is for this reason that the United Nations 6th Report on the World Nutrition Situation calls for a renewed effort to invest in maternal nutrition to break the intergenerational cycle of growth failure.

Investing in the future of our youth by ensuring they are adequately nourished will not only help break the cycle of poverty but also empower them with the potential to raise the continent of Africa. Small changes in woman's attained height generate significant returns for her children, her village, and her nation. We know that our children will reach new heights on the shoulders of their mothers.

(*) Jay Naidoo is Chairman of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).

© Inter Press Service (2011) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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