New and Noteworthy in Nutrition (NNN)

SOUTHERN AFRICA “In a little town not far from where I live, children suck salt to make themselves thirsty. Their thirst makes them drink more water and this fills their stomachs and helps to suppress the hunger in their bellies. It is almost beyond belief that three years ago Zimbabwe was called the breadbasket of Africa” (excerpt from Zimbabwean farmer, Cathy Buckle’s online journal, 22 February 2003, http://africantears.netfirm. com). Zimbabwe. The humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate at a dangerously rapid pace, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). There are increasing reports of children dropping out of school and families resorting to ever more desperate measures to cope. Levels of malnutrition and hunger-related diseases like pellagra are rising. According to the latest assessment, approximately 7.2 million people need food aid in Zimbabwe -an increase of half a million since September. In February, 204,000 metric tons of WFP food aid was distributed to almost four million people in 49 out of Zimbabwe’s 57 districts. The number of targeted beneficiaries rose to five million in March (www.wfp.org).