A study conducted on people of Barbados shows that effects of starvation suffered in childhood last until adulthood and can even change personalities drastically.
Children who suffer starvation tend to develop anti-social and anxious personalities, the research stated. Dr Jamina Galler from Harvard Medical School headed the research.
Seventy-seven kids born between 1967 and 1972, who suffered from severe starvations diseases like marasmus or kwashiorkor, were observed for the research.
The children under study were not born underweight or premature. But they all were admitted to hospitals at an average age of seven months. A program for hunger treatment and prevention helped feed these children till they completed 12 years of age.
The research revealed that the growth of these children was stunted at the initial stage of their lives. However, later they managed to reach the normal growth range for youngsters. Their weight and height was compared with 57 healthy classmates who had never suffered any malnutrition.
The study found that when these children reached 40 they suffered from negative emotions and distress. They did not show any interest in experiencing new situations nor did they socialize. They had difficulty in committing and planning ahead.
"Poor nutrition early in life seems to predispose individuals to a suspicious personality, which may then fuel a hostile attitude toward others," a psychology professor from the University of Pennsylvania, Adrian Raine said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that malnutrition kills almost three million children across the world every year. Around 25 percent of the children throughout the world suffer from stunted growth.
