Why is food safety important for pregnant women?
Why is food safety important for pregnant women?
Food safety is vital for everyone – but especially for pregnant women, their unborn babies, and children younger than five. This booklet explains why and provides real-world advice on how to lower the risk of foodborne illness for pregnant women and their unborn babies, and how parents can protect their young children from foodborne infections.
Why are children at high risk for foodborne illness?
Children younger than 5 years have a high risk of foodborne illness and related health problems because their immune systems are still developing, and they cannot fight off infections as well as older children and adults. Also, young children make less stomach acid that kills harmful bacteria, making it easier for them to get sick.
How are food safety, nutrition and food security related?
Food safety, nutrition and food security are inextricably linked. Unsafe food creates a vicious cycle of disease and malnutrition, particularly affecting infants, young children, elderly and the sick. Foodborne diseases impede socioeconomic development by straining health care systems, and harming national economies, tourism and trade.
Why are pregnant women at risk for food poisoning?
Pregnant women are at high risk of developing food poisoning because pregnancy affects their immune system’s ability to fight foodborne infections. The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body against infectious organisms and other invaders.
Food safety is vital for everyone – but especially for pregnant women, their unborn babies, and children younger than five. This booklet explains why and provides real-world advice on how to lower the risk of foodborne illness for pregnant women and their unborn babies, and how parents can protect their young children from foodborne infections.
Children younger than 5 years have a high risk of foodborne illness and related health problems because their immune systems are still developing, and they cannot fight off infections as well as older children and adults. Also, young children make less stomach acid that kills harmful bacteria, making it easier for them to get sick.
Food safety, nutrition and food security are inextricably linked. Unsafe food creates a vicious cycle of disease and malnutrition, particularly affecting infants, young children, elderly and the sick. Foodborne diseases impede socioeconomic development by straining health care systems, and harming national economies, tourism and trade.
Pregnant women are at high risk of developing food poisoning because pregnancy affects their immune system’s ability to fight foodborne infections. The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body against infectious organisms and other invaders.