What is malnutrition:
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| Malnutrition |
Malnutrition is a nutrients-related disease, commonly caused by over usage or less usage of some specific nutrients. Having a diet with lacks some necessary nutrients can lead to malnutrition. Both meals with fewer nutrients and meals with more nutrients than normal can cause malnutrition. These are known as undernutrition and overnutrition.
Mostly, malnutrition is caused by lacking some basic and important nutrients which are essential for our body. It can be due to a lack of calories, protein, and some micronutrients. It can also lead you to some serious health hazardous diseases including heart diseases, eye problems, and diabetes.
In this article, we will discuss malnutrition, types of malnutrition, symptoms, effects, causes treatment, and preventions of malnutrition.
Types of Malnutrition:
This nutrient deficiency disease can be of two types:
Over Nutrition:
Taking in more nutrients than the needs of the body is known as overnutrition. The nutrients can be proteins and fats. This can result in obesity.
Under Nutrition:
Taking of fewer nutrients than the needs of the body is termed undernutrition. Lack of proteins, fats, and vitamins is the main cause. This can decrease growth rate, weight loss, low-weight than height and vice versa. This type is most common.
The deficiency of essential vitamins, zinc, iron, and other minerals can cause you undernourished.
Foods that cause you to be overnourished include fires, sugars, high protein foods, and fluids mostly don’t contain micro-nutrients which can also cause you to be undernourished.
Symptoms of malnutrition:
Malnutrition can cause serious symptoms. Symptoms usually depend upon the type of malnutrition. The symptoms of overnutrition are:
Stomach Pain
Extreme Fatigue
Depression and stress
Obesity
Overweight
Low-blood pressure
Specialists say that obese people mostly have inadequate consumption of essential vitamins and minerals in their diet. Taking more fast-foods than normal foods is are the main reasons for overnutrition.
Symptoms of undernutrition are:
Dry Skin
Fatigue and Tiredness
Slow wound-healing
Weight loss
Stress and Anxiety
Dark circles
One of the common malnutrition diseases of undernutrition is marasmus. Marasmus can due to a lack of calories. Similarly, Kwashiorkor is caused by the deficiency of proteins in the diet. Undernutrition is caused by the deficiency of certain nutrients. Some of them and their results or symptoms are given below:
Zinc Deficiency:
Slow wound healing
Stunned growth
Diarrhea
Vitamin A deficiency:
Risk of infection
Dry eyes and dark circles
Iron deficiency:
Stomach pain
Brain and mental problems
Increasing body temperature
If undernutrition is not treated at a time, it can be life-threatening.
Diagnosis of malnutrition:
Malnutrition can be detected by several methods. Doctors and healthcare providers use specific tools to diagnose diseases related to malnutrition. You can also detect by using the Body-Mass-index(BMI).
If your body is losing weight continuously and feel tired, you should contact your doctor. Your doctor will take some blood tests and will examine the diseases and causes. If you are obese and overweight and feel some stomach pain, you should also contact a doctor.
Effects of Malnutrition:
If malnutrition is not treated properly, it can develop chronic diseases and serious health conditions. Teenagers with stunt growth can gain extra weight but their growth rate will ultimately stop. High blood pressure is also reported in adolescents with malnutrition.
Malnutrition diseases at an early age can cause children’s bodies to develop chronic diseases throughout their life.
Children and adults with overnutrition are also in danger. Heart diseases and heart attacks are very common in obese adolescents and teens.
Causes of Malnutrition:
Environment and certain medical conditions are commonly the most common causes of malnutrition. According to WHO, 2 billion people are obese due to overnutrition and 600 million people all across the globe are suffering from undernutrition.
Some important causes of malnutrition are
Poverty:
This is the major cause because millions of people in the world are running out of money and are not able to provide proper food to themselves and to their children due to which they suffer from these types of diseases. The government of every country should at least take care of the food of their nation and people.
Alcohol and drugs:
Drinking alcohol can lead to malnutrition because you will take proteins and calories in an improper way. Several drugs including morphine can disturb your intake of nutrients.
Psychological issues:
Several psychological issues including depression and others can decrease your nutrient intake which can lead you to malnutrition. People with depression have a higher rate of nutrition diseases than normal people.
Digestive disorders:
Some people have some specific digestive diseases which don’t allow them to take enough calories to survive. Infection in the intestine and stomach and many other digestive diseases are included.
Risk of malnutrition:
Following is the list of people who are at risk of developing malnutrition diseases:
People who have limited access to food
People with low income
Older adults and people with diabetes
People with Crohn disease or other digestive diseases
Pregnant women especially during the breastfeeding period
Preventions and treatment of Malnutrition:
Preventions and treatment also depend on the type of malnutrition and its causes. Government can play a big role in preventing malnutrition by providing proper food to their people.
We should raise awareness among people of the need for certain nutrients and minerals which are essential for them to stay healthy.
Daily exercise can prevent both overnutrition and undernutrition.
You should take natural vegetables, protein, more water, vitamins, minerals, iron, and zinc, etc in your diet.
Treating malnutrition at times is really important because it can get worsen. If you notice symptoms, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.
A doctor can easily diagnose the cause and the type of malnutrition and will recommend some pills, exercises, and certain foods enriched with nutrients.
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