Open and Distance Learning, a Tool for Eradicating Malnutrition
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Abstract
Malnutrition is a global public health problem especially among pre-school children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating mothers. Some of the major causes of obvious and hidden hungers are lack of nutrition knowledge, poor caring practices, poor healthy eating lifestyles, lack of exercise, and poor consumption of micronutrient dense foods. Open and distance learning (ODL) could be a tool to close these nutritional gaps. Through ODL, nutrition education can be brought to the households with the use of interactive computer-based nutrition animation using computer games, gadgets, toys, jingles, gizmos, belly-buds and Compact discs/Digital Versatile/video discs (CD/DVDs) etc. Semi-literate and illiterate socially disadvantaged groups and communities, adolescents, house wives and career women will be given the opportunity to improve their nutritional knowledge even in the comfort of their sitting rooms, kitchens, bedrooms and at leisure hours. Children’s time, what they hear, see and watch will be managed and controlled better while parents are at work or away from home. These interactive computer-based nutritional tools will expose and give pre-school children nutritional sense at early stage of life which will lead them all through life to adult stage thereby cushioning the effects of poor caring practices and preventing obesity, cardiovascular diseases and micronutrient deficiencies in their future lives. Better nutrition knowledge will reduce childhood and maternal morbidity and mortality due to preventable malnutrition. This paper therefore aims at discussing, exploring and bringing to limelight this interesting and innovative area of open and distance learning. // Paper ID: 425
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2013-11