Protein Calorie Malnutrition : Brain Development Intelligence and Behaviour II , Postnatal Nutrition

Abstract

At birth, the human body enters the world quite helpless and remains totally dependent for longer periods than any other mammalian species. Therefore the human infant is extraordinarily vulnerable to the enviroment after birth in most of the countries of the world. Developing babies are usually breast fed for at least the first three or four months of life. Since maternal nutrition during pregnancy has been shown to depress lactation in man, the infants born with potentially low nutrient stores may be at even greater risk if nursed by a mother of questionable nutritional status.