Child Hunger Thesis

Child hunger is a situation that many of us are oblivious about. As Sally Raphel states,¨ Fifty million Americans lived in food-insecure homes, 16.7 million are children (Raphel),¨

showing how many people are suffering with world hunger, not just child hunger. Many people are living in the harmful conditions of child hunger. James O'Connor quotes, ¨ That is nearly 1 out of every 4 children in the United States. The depth of children's deprivation varies. Some have to skip meals; others get enough food but eat an unbalanced diet out of economic necessity (O´Connor)¨, it affects children in ways that sometimes cannot be solved. Many families are not getting enough food as well and it puts a strain on children in many different ways. According

to Susan Lang, ¨They also found that almost 4 million children live in homes where at times, due to lack of economic resources, there is not enough food (Lang).¨ The economy has brought food and taxes up so high that some less fortunate people cannot afford to pay. Many other countries have the same problem. Child hunger is not only a major problem in America, it is also a problem for the world.
The effects of child hunger are very serious to children. This relates to the fact that, ¨For young children, food insecurity can threaten survival; impair growth and development; lead to illness, poor health, and psychosocial problems; and impair the full development of human potential (Dillon, Marquand).¨ It can be as serious about causing death because a child is not being able to eat properly. It affects them mentally as well as physically. According to Susan Lang, ¨60 percent of the adolescents who lived in homes with inadequate food intake had at least one suicidal symptom (thoughts of death or suicide or desire to die), and almost 20 percent attempted suicide (Lang),¨ showing that children would rather die than have to face this problem. Health is a major consequence that is lost in the topic of child hunger. The author points out, ¨the health outcomes that were considered included poor general health, chronic health conditions and asthma. Children and young people who experience hunger are likely to have poorer health. Hunger is indicative of vulnerability (Devitt).¨ Bad health can affect someone for a lifetime. Child hunger impacts children's mentally and physically. It also does bad things to their health overtime.
Malnutrition is a serious effect that is caused by not being well nourished.

Child hunger is a major factor in malnourishment. Mary Gavin clarifys, ¨ People who are chronically malnourished lack the nutrients needed for proper health and development. Someone can be malnourished for a long or short period of time, and the condition may be mild or severe. People who are malnourished are more likely to get sick and, in severe cases, might even die (Gavin).¨ malnourished can cause death to children and it is not even their own fault. About 795 billion people in the world are chronically malnourished, thats not even kids alone. Stated by Sally Raphel, ¨Today, more than 200 million children are chronically malnourished (Raphel),¨ children and adults are both affected horribly by malnourishment. Malnourishment causes health problems, because it is caused by not being able to eat the nutrients needed to be healthy. Mary Gavin points out, ¨ If malnourished as a child, their growth may also be stunted, making them much shorter than average (Gavin), ¨ malnourishment has serious side effects. Malnourishment is caused by child hunger but if we can work together hopefully it will

end.
Child Hunger may not have a very fast solution, but overtime we can try to cease it.

As Megan Gash shares with us ¨To alleviate this conndition, efforts must address root causes, be sustainable (that is, programs must pay for themselves), and they must be implemented by local people for the long term. Freedom from Hunger's Credit with Education program is just such a strategy. We are transferring the microfinance program technology we have developed to local people around the world, and they are using it to help end world hunger through their own families and communities (Gash). ¨ Many people know about the problem of child hunger, and many people don't know a lot about it. Different people are trying different ways to spread the word about it in their communities. Showing excellent ways, "How Can We Stop Child Hunger?" gives some ideas, ¨ We want to bring awareness to the reality of child hunger. With countless children going to bed hungry every night, it's time for all of us to take a stand and join the fight to help end child hunger. It's a heartbreaking ongoing tragedy that needs to be addressed. The free lunch programs of public schools are geared for low-income families during the school year and provide an invaluable service( "How Can We Stop Child Hunger?" ) . Some schools are trying their best to stop this as well. Schools are in for about 75% of the year. Students who are used to relying on schools for their food are going to go hungry through the whole

summer. Unless some try to help like , "How Can We Stop Child Hunger?" , Our Summer Food Program is designed to meet the needs of hungry children whose September lunch tickets remain out of reach for months ( "How Can We Stop Child Hunger?"). They try to help stop this problem year round. Child hunger has endless solutions, but by putting them in action we can stop them.