What you need to know about Malnutrition

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Malnutrition is when a person’s diet does not provide enough nutrients or the right balance for optimal health. Symptoms often involve weight loss, reduced appetite, tiredness, and irritability.




Causes of malnutrition include:


unsuitable dietary choices

having a low income

difficulty obtaining food

various physical and mental health conditions

Undernutrition is one type of malnutritionTrusted Source. It occurs when the body does not get enough food and enough necessary nutrients. It can lead to:


delayed growth

low weight

wasting

If a person does not get the right balance of nutrients, they can also have malnutrition. It is possible to have obesity with malnutrition.


When a person has too little food, a limited diet, or a condition that stops their body from obtaining the right balance of nutrients, it can severely impact their health. In some cases, this can become life threatening.


This article looks at malnutrition in detail, including the causes, symptoms, and treatments.


People may become malnourished if they do not eat enough food overall. However, people who eat plenty but do not have enough variation in their diet can also become malnourished.


Malnutrition can lead to:


short- and long-term health problems

slow recovery from wounds and illnesses

a higher risk of infection

Some deficiencies can trigger specific health problems. For example:


Lack of vitamin A

Around the world, many children develop vision problemsTrusted Source due to a lack of vitamin A.


Lack of vitamin C

A lack of vitamin CTrusted Source can result in scurvy.


Scurvy is rare in the United States (U.S.), but it can develop if a person does not have a varied diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables all contain vitamin C.


People who are particularly at risk of scurvy include:


older adults

young children

those who consume a lot of alcohol

some people with certain mental health conditions

An overall deficiency

Malnutrition can lead to marasmus, which is a severe form of malnutrition. Marasmus is a deficiency of protein and overall energy intake.


A person with marasmus will have very little muscle or fat on their body.


Overnutrition

Overnutrition is another type of malnutrition. It occurs when a person takes in more nutrients than they need. The result may be an accumulation of body fat from the excess nutrients, resulting in overweight or obesity.


Overnutrition has several health implicationsTrusted Source. People who have overweight or obesity are at greater risk of:


heart disease

high blood pressure

diabetes

cancer

high cholesterol

The rate of overnutrition is growing worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that in 2020, 5.7% of children under 5 were overweight, an increase from 5.4% in 2000.

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