Open AccessLeast Cost Diet for Children Two to Three Years in Malaysia Using Linear Programming Approach
Author(s) -
Nor Hayati Shafii,
Rosidah Alias,
Noradilla Radzuan
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of computing research and innovation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2600-8793
DOI - 10.24191/jcrinn.v3i4.91
Subject(s) - linear growth , socioeconomic status , promotion (chess) , environmental health , medicine , food security , healthy food , agriculture , pediatrics , gerontology , demography , mathematics , geography , food science , biology , political science , population , archaeology , sociology , politics , law
The early period of life, namely from birth to two years of age is critical for the promotion of optimalgrowth, brain development as well as health and behavioural development. Thus, attaining the dailyrequired nutrition during this stage of life is very crucial since nutrition is strongly associated with a child’sdevelopment at a very young age. It is a major challenge for Malaysians to ensure children get a balanceddiet, especially children from families of low socioeconomic status. As reported in the Edge Weekly, thereview found that 24.9% or nearly one in four children in Malaysia experienced moderate or severe foodinsecurity due to financial constraints. In this study, a linear programming diet model is used to determinean affordable cheapest food basket that satisfies the daily recommended nutritional requirements forchildren between two to three years old in Malaysia. POM-QM for Windows Version 5.2 by Howard J.Weiss is used. Initial finding shows that the average costs are RM2.69. This food basket consists of 474g ofeggs, 55g of tofu, 29g of papaya, 5g of spinach and 201g of potato.With this food basket and estimatedfood expenditure, parents can save for 40% of their child’s daily food expenditure.