Increasing protein foods through improving animal health.

Undernourishment in general refers to inadequate intake of energy, i.e., calories, while malnutrition may result from many and varied nutritional imbalances or deficiencies. The most important by far, however, is protein malnutrition. Protein deficiency particularly affects young children and pregnant or lactating mothers. The clinical forms in children are called marasmus and kwashiorkor. Marasmus results from diets deficient in both proteins and calories, while kwashiorkor occurs when the main deficiency is in proteins. Severe clinical disease in young children is characterized by cessation of growth, loss of weight, edema, dermatitis, and depigmentation of hair. Inadequate mental development may accompany altered physical development. Older people suffer ill health, have reduced ability to resist disease, and are seriously impaired in their work capacity. An important consequence of protein malnutrition is the impairment of the health, vigor, and efficiency of future generations. Protein malnutrition probably is the world's foremost public health problem. The nutritive value of dietary protein depends as much on its quality as the total amount present. The best sources of the best proteins, those having the highest biological values, are foods of animal origin, i.e., meat, milk, and egg products. Animal products also are rich in other essential nutrients. It has been estimated'0 that 70 per cent of the world's supply of human dietary protein comes from vegetable sources and 30 per cent from animal sources, varying from 70 per cent from animal sources in the United States to 12 per cent in India. Quantitatively as well as qualitatively, animal products constitute an important part of the diet of the people of the world. The FAO10 short-term target for animal protein in the diet is 15 gm of animal protein per day with a long-term target of 21 gm. Currently, the world animal protein supplies average about 20 gm per person per day. 12 It is only 9 gm per day in the underdeveloped countries containing two thirds of the world's population (Tables 1 and 2). In view of the rapid rate at which the population of the world is increasing and the magnitude of the animal protein deficit in underdeveloped countries, achievement of these goals will require a great deal of effort. World Livestock Resources.-The livestock population" of the world is roughly equivalent to the human population, i.e., 3 billion head, consisting of 1 billion sheep;