Introduction

Health is the most precious jewel that we need to keep and take care of. It
is the state in which we are free from suffering any illnesses. The body needs a
balanced amount of nutrients and energy. Being healthy is one of the reasons why we
can live and do things that we love to do in life. Health is important for all people
especially children. A good health foundation of children is vital for them to live a good
life.

However, there are certain circumstances where health will be sacrificed or

it cannot be met. When there isn't enough food for the people to consume, the tendency
is the occurrence of malnutrition. Malnutrition is one of the common problems of
countries nowadays. It has a big impact especially to young children. This occurs if one
does not have the proper caring, hygiene and nutrition. Poor countries and those
societies who are experiencing any other economic and social conflicts are most likely
to have a high percentage and prevalence of malnutrition. Poverty is the most
fundamental cause of malnutrition. Extreme hunger and the various forms of social
incapacities due to poverty and ineffective governance lead to the occurrence of such
problem. Malnutrition also comes in many ways: unemployment, lack of funds, out of
school youth, early pregnancy and improper family planning. Because of these reasons,
people especially children who are in the lower status of life may experienced
malnutrition.

This has a big impact to child development wherein they are incapable of
growing in a normal way in terms of social, mental, physical and behavioral conditions.
A child who experienced the wrath of malnutrition is likely to be physically inactive
because there is an existing incapability of doing activities that normal and healthy
children usually do. A malnourished child is physically weak wherein the height, weight
and physical attributes are not normal for his or her age. Also, the cognitive
development of a child needs enough nutrients for a better thinking, reasoning and
understanding of the world. Thus, when a child is malnourished, he or she will be having
a hard time to be mentally active since there isn't enough nutrients to nourish the brain
for a better function. Malnutrition also possibly impacts the behavior of child and his or
her ability to socialize. Being unhealthy can affect how the child interact with the society.
A malnourished child's behavior and ability to socialize is different from that of a healthy
child.

Internationally, it can be observed that there are millions of people who do

not have enough food to eat. The rapid increase of polution in most countries is one of
the reasons why poverty exists which mainly is the reason for the increase rate of
malnutrition. Unfortunately, this social problem resulted to deaths especially to children
under the age of five. In the Philippines, we can observe that malnutrition exists mostly
among children. The increased population in our country resulted in the difficulty of
sustaining enough needs for the people, the reason why undernourishment occurs
given that the population and rate of poor people in our country is increasing. Our
province, Southern Leyte consisting of different municipalities is also recorded as an
area within Philippines wherein there is a rate of prevalence of malnutrition among
children.

Just like the existing occurrence of this social issue in our country and
province, the prevalence of malnutrition is observable in our locality. Malnutrition of
children exists in Poblacion, Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte, one of the barangays within
Padre Burgos that has the most recorded number of malnourished children.

Surveys were made within Padre Burgos about the prevalence of

malnutrition among children. However, there is a need to determine the impact of
malnutrition to child development for the society to be aided. Thus, the researchers
chose to conduct this study. International and national studies focused only on how
mental and physical development are affected by malnutrition. This study then was
conducted to determine the impact of the said issue to the physical, mental, behavioral
and social development of children and is expanded to determining the differences of
the impact of malnutrition to children development in terms of age.

The purpose of this study is to aide the society: the parents, the government,
children and other related beneficiaries. Parents will gain knowledge on how to take
good care and consider the health and nutrition of their children in order to avoid the
occurrence of malnutrition. Given that they are the ones having the biggest
responsibility for the children to live a healthy and good life, this study will impart
knowledge on what is the impact of malnutrition to child development and the possible
ways on how to resist such societal problem. Children however, will benefit in the long
run as long as parents are well informed about the specific actions needed for the
solution of this continuously arising societal problem. Poblacion, Padre Burgos and any
other areas or societies will be aided through this study in the way that: a) this can
create understanding of the burden of malnutrition for relevant policy and advocacy
changes, b) can identify factors hindering reduction of child malnutrition and c) bringing
about changes in government and public sector nutrition organizations for children.
Moreover, the result of this study will serve as basis for further related studies.

There are no previous studies about the prevalence of malnutrition and its
impact to child development in Poblacion, Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte. Hence, this
study was conducted.