As many as 1,200 children under the age of five years die every day in the country whereas 35 percent of child deaths are linked to malnutrition.

As many as 1,200 children under the age of five years die every day in the country whereas 35 percent of child deaths are linked to malnutrition. It was stated by University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Dr Iqbal Zafar while presiding over International Symposium on Health and Nutrition that was organized by Molecular Care Lab, Department of Biochemistry, University of Agriculture Faisalabad at Iqbal Auditorium. He said that Pakistan was among the worst in the world in term of crisis of malnutrition. He showed his concern 80 million people in the country were the nutrient deficient. He called food fortification to address the issue of food security, adding that 276 out of 100,000 women who give birth die of causes relating to pregnancy and childbirth. He said that changing lifestyle were aggravating the issue. He stressed the need to exercise and walk in the routine that will help lead to the healthy life. He said that iron deficiency (anaemia) and vitamin A deficiency remains widespread in the country. Whereas, the maternal anaemia stands at 49% and night blindness at 16 percent. Pakistan Council for Science and Technology Chairman Dr Anwar-ul-Hassan Gilani said: the waist parameter defines a male obese with 40 and 25% body fat and for females, it is 35 inch and 35% body fat. He was of the view that most of the world population live in the countries where the obesity and overweight kills more people than underweight. He said that even children are suffering from obesity due to lack of physical activities and junk food. He said that most of obese people live in Arab states whereas after than Indian, than Russian, Chinese and Western world. Talking about diabetes, he said that it is the sixth leasing cause of death. As four million people die of disease each year across the world. Two third of them are from the developing countries. Dean Faculty of Sciences Prof Dr Muhammad Asghar Bajwa said that said over 70 per cent of world’s food-insecure population lives in rural areas in developing countries. He said that 60 percent of women are deficient of the vitamin D. He also showed his concern that the 58 percent of the country was food insecure. Dr Khalil ur Rehman stressed upon the need of changing lifestyle, ensure the nutritive food and potable water for the healthy life. He called for creating the awareness about giving up usage of soda drinks by claiming that one bottle is having eight to 16 spoons of the sugar that is harmful for the human health. Dr Amir Jamil said that sanitation, water and other issues were causing the health hazard. He said that one third of children were underweight in the country whereas the 44 percent of the children are stunted. He said Molecular Care established with the objective to extend the expertise and facilities of the university faculty in Molecular Biochemistry Lab. of the Department of Biochemistry for researchers, and community.