Primary health care and nutritional security

Nutrition is fundamental for health. Hunger is the worst condition associated with nutrition insecurity, but micronutrient deficiencies are given the common term "hidden hunger." Severe acute malnutrition endangers the lives of affected individuals, and management requires the staff of health institutions to be highly qualified and motivated. Rehabilitation can be community-based if there are no complications. Iron deficiency and the related anemia cause a high number of maternal deaths. Supplementation, hygiene, diversity of diet, food fortification, and food with a high micronutrient content are among the preventive strategies. Obesity and obesity-related diseases are prevalent everywhere. For prevention and management of nutrition-related diseases, primary health care (PHC) has the potential to empower the populations at risk to prevent life-threatening health problems without much expense. However, PHC requires an approach that does not just focus on the specific health problem but that targets the conditions of its origin as well. © 2009 Springer Medizin Verlag.