Malnutrition is a condition that results from an imbalance between the nutrients a person’s body needs to stay healthy and the nutrients they actually receive through their diet. It can manifest as both undernutrition and overnutrition, depending on whether a person is not getting enough essential nutrients or is consuming excessive amounts of unhealthy foods. Here, we’ll focus on undernutrition and some of the nutritional deficiency diseases that can result from it:
1. Kwashiorkor:
This is a severe form of protein-energy malnutrition that typically affects children. It occurs when there is insufficient protein intake in the diet, leading to symptoms such as swollen belly, skin lesions, hair loss, and muscle wasting.
2. Marasmus:
Marasmus is another form of protein-energy malnutrition, but it is more chronic and severe than kwashiorkor. It involves a deficiency of both calories and essential nutrients, resulting in severe wasting, weakness, and stunted growth. Marasmus often occurs in infants.
3. Scurvy:
Scurvy is caused by a deficiency of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Symptoms include fatigue, muscle weakness, swollen and bleeding gums, and skin rashes. It was historically common among sailors who lacked fresh fruits and vegetables on long sea voyages.
4. Rickets:
Rickets is a condition primarily affecting children that results from a deficiency of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate. It can lead to weakened and deformed bones, causing bowed legs, knock knees, and poor growth.
5. Beriberi:
Beriberi is caused by a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1). It can manifest in two forms: wet beriberi, which affects the cardiovascular system and can lead to heart failure, and dry beriberi, which primarily affects the nervous system, causing muscle weakness, numbness, and difficulty walking.
6. Pellagra:
Pellagra results from a deficiency of niacin (vitamin B3) and can lead to symptoms such as skin rashes, diarrhea, dementia, and depression. It was once common in regions where maize (corn) was a staple food because maize lacks niacin unless it undergoes a specific preparation process.
7. Iron-deficiency Anemia:
This is a common form of anemia caused by an insufficient intake of iron. It leads to a decreased ability of the blood to carry oxygen, resulting in fatigue, weakness, pale skin, and shortness of breath.
8. Vitamin A Deficiency:
A deficiency in vitamin A can cause night blindness, dry skin, increased susceptibility to infections, and, in severe cases, can lead to blindness.
9. Iodine Deficiency Disorders:
Inadequate iodine intake can result in thyroid dysfunction and lead to goiter (enlargement of the thyroid gland), as well as mental and physical developmental issues, especially in children.
10. Folate Deficiency:
A lack of folate (vitamin B9) can cause anemia, fatigue, and may lead to neural tube defects in developing fetuses if pregnant women are deficient in this vitamin.
These are just a few examples of nutritional deficiency diseases that can occur when the body does not receive the necessary nutrients in adequate amounts. Proper nutrition and a balanced diet are crucial for preventing these conditions and maintaining overall health.
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