Malnutrition (aka malnourishment) results from eating a diet, in which nutrients are either not enough, or are too much such that the diet causes health problems. Undernutrition or undernourishment is not enough nutrients.
Sx
Starvation is extreme undernourishment, and may have Sx, including:
Short height
Thin body
Very poor energy levels
Swollen legs and abdomen
Often get infections
Frequently cold
Sx of micronutrient deficiencies, depend on the micronutrient that is lacking
Pathophysiology
It involves not enough calories, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, or minerals
Common micronutrient deficiencies include a lack of iron, iodine, and vitamin A
Classification
2 main types of undernutrition:
Protein-energy malnutrition, which has 2 severe forms, including:
Marasmus, a lack of protein and calories
Kwashiorkor, a lack of just protein
Dietary deficiencies
Cause
Not enough high quality food being available to eat, most often. This is often related to high food prices and poverty
Lack of breastfeeding
Numerous infectious diseases, e.g. gastroenteritis, pneumonia, malaria, an dmeasles, which icnrease nutrient requirement
During pregnancy, due to the body's increased need, deficiencies may become more common
Overnutrition in the form of obesity is beginning to present within the same communitieis as undernutrition
Anorexia nervosa
Bariatric surgery
Complications
Permanent problems with physical and mental development, if undernutrition occurs during pregnancy, or before 2yo
Medicinenet.com Word of the Day Medicinenet.com Daily News
Medpage Today Latest Medical News
Health.com Happy & Healthy
Medical News Today headlines
Internal Medicine Clinical News
Modern Medicine News Modern Medicine Feature articles
Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
BMJ Latest news BMJ Latest research BMJ Education
JAMA Current issue
The Lancet Current issue
NEJM Current issue
ScienceMag Current issue
NIH PubMed Health Featured reviews
ABC Health news ABC Health & Wellbeing ABC Health Minutes ABC RN's The Health Report ABC All in The Mind
BBC News - Health (International)
NSW Health Minister for Health Minister for Mental Health NSW Health Publications AI of Health & Welfare Publications Department of Health Publications
WHO Health news WHO Emergencies, disasters news WHO Disease Outbreaks WHO Health feature stories