Those of us who are tasked with the welfare of others must behave in a manner that is worthy to be emulated. However, we do not live in a perfect world and many of those who are entrusted with leadership do so in a spiteful manner. We must, however, be reminded that we will all have a day of reckoning and will have to give an account of our stewardship.

The withholding of food as a form of punishment is hardly spoken about. This form of child abuse is more prevalent than we think and happens behind closed doors, as many parents and guardians use it as a form of reward to achieve a desired behavioural change in children. Punishment should never be synonymous with food. That is wrong!

Obviously, parents will be required to discipline their children; however, parents and guardians should not do so by withholding food.

Globally, hunger persists with nearly one in 10 of the world’s population facing it in 2022, while 2.4 billion people experienced moderate to severe food insecurity. In the same year, nearly 60 per cent of countries worldwide saw significant increases in food prices due to conflicts and disrupted supply chains. Achieving zero hunger requires intensified efforts to transform food systems towards sustainability, resilience, and equity.

Proper nutrition is a fundamental element in the realisation of children’s right to enjoy the highest attainable level of physical and mental health. Our body needs a variety of nutrients, and in certain amounts, to maintain its tissues and its many functions. Malnutrition happens when the nutrients one’s body receives do not meet these needs. A person can be malnourished from an overall lack of nutrients, or the individual may have an abundance of some kinds of nutrients but lack other kinds. Even the lack of a single vitamin or mineral can have serious health consequences for your body.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that malnutrition affects people in every country. Around 890 million adults worldwide are living with obesity, while 390 million are underweight. An estimated 37 million children under the age of five years are overweight, while some 149 million are stunted.

United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF) states that poverty, urbanisation, climate change, and poor eating choices are driving unhealthy diets that are physically impacting almost nine million children under five in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2018, in Latin America and the Caribbean, 4.8 million children under five were stunted. A United Nations report has stated that 8.3 per cent of the Jamaican population experienced undernourishment for the period 2020 to 2022. At the same time, 25.6 per cent faced severe food insecurity, while 54.4 experienced moderate food insecurity.

These trends reflect poor growth, and putting children at risk of increased infections, weak learning skills, low immunity and, in many cases, death. Almost four in 10 children under five in the region suffered from deficiencies in vitamins and minerals such as iron and iodine, further undermining their growth. Of the 18 countries in the region with data, Guatemala is the worst off with one in two children under five not growing well. St Lucia has the lowest percentage, with one in 10 children.

UNICEF’s analysis finds that almost two in five children between six months and two years in Latin America and the Caribbean are not fed the adequate food that supports their rapidly growing bodies and brains. In 2018, one in five children of this age was not fed any fruits or vegetables at all. In addition, nearly three in 10 children don’t eat any eggs, dairy, fish or meat, which are important, sources of protein and micronutrients and essential for growth.

Withholding food as a punishment is not an effective or compassionate way to manage a child’s behaviour. Instead, the emphasis should be on positive, restorative, and collaborative approaches that promote social emotional learning empathy and self-awareness.

Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. Send comments to Jamaica Observer or waykam@yahoo.com.