Causes of malnutrition include inappropriate dietary choices, a low income, difficulty obtaining food, and various physical and mental health conditions . Undernutrition is one type of malnutrition . It occurs when the body does not get enough food. It can lead to delayed growth, low weight, or wasting.
What are the main causes of malnutrition?
Underlying causes are:
Family food insecurity . Inadequate care of vulnerable household members (e.g. ‘unfair’ sharing of food within families) Unhygienic living conditions (e.g. poor water supplies and poor sanitation) Inadequate health services.
What is malnutrition and its causes?
Malnutrition is caused by eating a diet in which nutrients are not enough or is too much such that it causes health problems . It is a category of diseases that includes undernutrition and overnutrition. Overnutrition can result in obesity and being overweight.
What are long-term effects of malnutrition?
Malnutrition can lead to the development of diseases and chronic health conditions. Long-term effects of undernutrition include a higher risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes ( 20 , 21 ).
What are consequences of malnutrition?
Social consequences of malnutrition
Undernourished children have weaker immune systems and are thus more susceptible to infections and illnesses. Long-term insufficient nutrient intake and frequent infections can cause stunting, whose effects in terms of delayed motor and cognitive development are largely irreversible.
What are the 4 types of malnutrition?
There are 4 broad sub-forms of undernutrition: wasting, stunting, underweight, and deficiencies in vitamins and minerals. Undernutrition makes children in particular much more vulnerable to disease and death.
What organs are affected by malnutrition?
- Muscle function. Weight loss due to depletion of fat and muscle mass, including organ mass, is often the most obvious sign of malnutrition. ...
- Cardio-respiratory function. ...
- Gastrointestinal function. ...
- Immunity and wound healing. ...
- Psychosocial effects.
What is the fastest way to cure malnutrition?
- Eat ‘little and often’ – 3 small meals a day with 2-3 snacks in-between meals.
- Include protein at each meal such as meat, fish, chicken, eggs, beans or lentils.
- Avoid low fat, sugar-free, diet foods and drinks for example skimmed milk.
Who is most affected by malnutrition?
Women, infants, children and adolescents are at the highest risk of malnutrition. Optimizing nutrition early in life – including the 1000 days from conception to a child’s second birthday – ensures the best possible start in life, with long-term benefits. Poverty amplifies the risk of, and risks from, malnutrition.
What are the signs and symptoms of malnutrition?
- reduced appetite.
- lack of interest in food and drink.
- feeling tired all the time.
- feeling weaker.
- getting ill often and taking a long time to recover.
- wounds taking a long time to heal.
- poor concentration.
- feeling cold most of the time.
How can we prevent malnutrition?
- plenty of fruit and vegetables.
- plenty of starchy foods such as bread, rice, potatoes, pasta.
- some milk and dairy foods or non-dairy alternatives.
- some sources of protein, such as meat, fish, eggs and beans.
What is the main treatment for malnutrition?
Treatment may involve: dietary changes , such as eating foods high in energy and nutrients. support for families to help them manage factors affecting the child’s nutritional intake. treatment for any underlying medical conditions causing malnutrition.
What are the long term effects of early malnutrition?
It is responsible for the highest mortality rate in children and has long-lasting physiologic effects, including an increased susceptibility to fat accumulation mostly in the central region of the body, lower fat oxidation, lower resting and postprandial energy expenditure, insulin resistance in adulthood, hypertension ...
Can malnutrition affect your heart?
Malnutrition may lead to cardiovascular diseases such as cardiomyopathy, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia, and in some cases sudden death during childhood (1–4). In addition, it also has effects on many systems, mainly the immune system.
How does malnourishment affect the brain?
BRAIN: Nutrient deficiencies may speed up the rate at which your brain loses neurons, which can impair your speech, coordination, and memory .
What are the two main types of malnutrition?
- undernutrition, including stunting, wasting, underweight and micronutrient deficiencies.
- overweight, obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases.
