Effect of Spirulina as a Nutritional Supplement on Malnourished Children

Abstract

Malnutrition is found to be a widespread problem in India irrespective of topographical description. Over 40,000 children die of malnutrition and related diseases everyday. Modern economists have evolved new parameters such as human development Index to measure the social progress of a country in which the state of health care particularly children also form important component. The Ninth Five year plan (1997 - 98 to 2001 - 2002) of Government of India has identified chronic protein energy deficiency especially in children as a major nutritional problem of public health importance and micronutrient deficiencies of iron, iodine and vitamin A and its associated health hazards as another nutritional problem.