Abstract:
Food and nutrition play a significant role ir;t development of human resources. The future
of a country highly depends on a well - nourished child population. For the creation of
a highly productive population with physical and mental equilibrium, a balanced diet is
needed. Obesity, secondary malnutrition due to lack of food intake and under nutrition are
aspects of malnutrition. 30% of the child population was suffering from malnutrition during
the period from 2000- 2004. Most children who are under five years of age do not receive
enough nutrition and suffer from lack of iron, iodine and vitamin A.
The nutrition insufficiency is closely related with the consumption pattern and the composition
of the meal. The objective of this study was to identify effects of problems of child nutrition
on human resource development. This study was a case study. Data were collected through
questionnaires, interviews and observations. The composition of the sample was 50 children
between the ages one to five and from both sex. Special attention was given to patterns of
breakfast and lunch of the child population and main components of the diet. Body Mass
Index (BMI) was used to study the nutrition level of the children. Five directors of pre
child development institutions and twenty mothers who come to those institutions with
their children and the chief midwife of Gampaha District were interviewed. Due of the
insufficient supply of nourished food; children are suffering from low level of cognitive
skills, low level of activeness, low level of learning skills, drop in the resistances level to
illness, absence of needed weight and height and low level of physical development.
