Malnutrition

Malnutrition has always been an issue of great concerns. Children, mostly belonging to age below 5
years are more likely to suffer from malnutrition due to severe consequence of food insecurity amongst
them. When we talk about malnutrition, what mainly can be thought of could be is:

 What actually is malnutrition?

 How is it caused or what are its symptoms?
 How does one find out if anyone is suffering from malnutrition and how can it be cured?

The answer to such questions will be answered in the following article. This is to create awareness
among people, how they can learn new concepts and apply it in daily life to help others out overcome
this issue.

What is Malnutrition?
Malnutrition is a condition marked by inadequate or excessive nutrient intake, an imbalanced intake of
vital nutrients, or inefficient nutrient absorption. Undernutrition, overweight, and obesity are all
components of the dual burden of malnutrition, as are non-communicable diseases connected to diet.

On investigating undernutrition, it has four broad indications of undernutrition which include:

 STUNTING

Low height for age is often referred to as stunting. It is an effect of prolonged or recurring
undernutrition, which often corresponds to poverty, inadequate maternal health and nutrition,
recurrent illness, and/or unsuitable feeding and care for infants and toddlers. Stunting hinders
children from maturing their full physical and intellectual potential.

 WASTING

Low weight-to-height is referred to as wasting. Although it may persist for a very long duration, it
usually signifies sudden and substantial weight loss. It typically happens when a person fails to
consume enough food, both in terms of quantity and quality, or when they've been unwell
repeatedly over a long time. If left untreated, wasting in children may contribute to a higher risk of
mortality rates.

 UNDER-NUTRITION

Low weight-for-age is an indication of underweight. An underweight child may be wasted, stunted,

or both.

 MICRONUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES

Lack of vitamins and minerals necessary for bodily functions including the production of enzymes,
hormones, and other chemicals necessary for growth and development is known as a micronutrient
deficiency.
 Symptoms
Unintentional weight loss is the main symptom of malnutrition. Most people who are undernourished
will lose weight. However, it is possible to be a healthy weight or even overweight and still be
malnourished. For instance, this may occur if your diet is deficient in certain vitamins and minerals or
other elements. One could be malnourished if:

 If your body mass index (BMI) is under 18.5 (but a person with a BMI under 20 could also be at
risk).
 You unintentionally lose 5 to 10% of your body weight within 3 to 6 months.
 Over time, jewels, belts, and clothing all seem to get looser.

Other symptoms of malnutrition include:

 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
 Low mood, sadness and depression

Child malnutrition symptoms can include:

 Not gaining weight or developing as quickly as expected (faltering growth)

 Alterations in behavior, such as being particularly slow, impatient, or anxious.
 Low levels of energy, and tiring more quickly than other kids.

Causes
 Health issues

 Long-term illnesses such cancer, liver disease, and some lung diseases (like chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease) can induce weight loss, nausea, and/or changes in
bowel habits (such as diarrhea and vomiting).
 Mental health issues like depression or schizophrenia, which may affect your mood and
desire to eat.
 Ailments that impair your ability to digest food or absorb nutrients, like Crohn's disease
or ulcerative colitis.
 Dementia, which can make a person neglect their well-being and forget to eat.
 An eating disorder, like anorexia.

 Medicines

 Certain medications can also render people more likely to get malnourished.
 Some medications have unpleasant side effects that might lead people to eat less or
absorb fewer nutrients from food, such as feeling ill, losing your appetite, or having
diarrhea.
  Social and physical factors

 Eating may be challenging or uncomfortable if you have damaged teeth or dentures

(fake teeth) that don't fit properly.
 Living alone and being socially isolated due to a physical restriction that makes it difficult
to move around, prepare food, or shop for food
 Having no experience of cooking or nutrition
 Reliance on drugs or alcohol
 Low earnings or poverty

Causes of malnutrition in children:

Malnutrition in children is often caused by long-term health conditions that:

 Lead to a lack of appetite

 Disrupt digestion
 Increase the body's demand for energy

Diseases caused due to Malnutrition

 Kwashiorkor

Kwashiorkor is a protein deficiency illness brought on by inadequate protein consumption or

poor protein quality over an extended period of time. It causes swelling in the body especially in
the hands, feet and the face.

 Marasmus

Marasmus is caused by a diet that is severely low in calories and protein.Due to the eventual
development of kwashiorkor in marasmic children; it is not just a result of calorie deficit. Loss of
body weight and failure to gain weight, body fat depletion, and withered muscles are some of
the prevalent evidence and symptoms.

 Anemia

Dietary anemia is a major health problem. It happens to be brought on by a diet deficient in

iron. Menstrual losses and higher dietary needs during the pregnancy are two major
contributors to anemia in women and girls. A diet that is well-balanced and rich in protein, iron,
vitamin C, and B complex is necessary.

 Night blindness

Night blindness is caused by vitamin A deficiency. If the mother's diet lacks in vitamin A while
she is pregnant, the condition affects the unborn child as well. Pregnant women and children
under the age of five are the primary victims of this condition. Symptoms can be: unable to see
in the evening and low light, eyesight loss even in direct sunlight, dry and flaky eye.
 Scurvy

Scurvy is a condition caused by a vitamin C deficiency. This illness can affect people of any age.
This condition mainly impacts the gums and causes swelling and bleeding. Symptoms can be:
bleeding and swollen gums, gum discomfort might trigger teeth to fall out, lack of appetite, etc.

Treatment
 Dietary changes and supplements

 Advice from a dietitian regarding beneficial dietary adjustments.

 They could design a personalised food plan for you to make sure you obtain adequate
nutrients.
 They might also advise:
 Eating "fortified" foods that contain additional nutrients, leading to a healthier, more
balanced diet
 Between-meal snacks
 Drinking calorically-rich beverages
 Receiving grocery deliveries at home

 Feeding tubes

 A different method of obtaining nutrients may be necessary if one is unable to eat

enough to meet the body's demands, such as if one has dysphagia (swallowing issues).
 This may consist of:
 Utilising a nasogastric tube, which goes through the nose and into the stomach
 Employing a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube, which is inserted directly
into ones stomach or gut via the skin on your stomach.
 Utilising parenteral feeding, which involves injecting a nutrient-containing fluid straight
into your blood through a vein.

 Services for Support and Care

 Some malnourished individuals require extra assistance to help them cope with root
causes like poor mobility.
 This might comprise: Visiting care-givers who can assist you with cooking or grocery
shopping if necessary read more about getting care at home occupational therapy.
 A speech therapist can teach you techniques to help with swallowing issues and offer
advice about dietary changes (such as foods that are easy to swallow).

 Treating Child Malnutrition

 Children's malnutrition tends to be brought on by persistent illnesses requiring hospital

care. Yet, not all malnourished children experience this.
 Treatment options include:
 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 vitamin and
 mineral supplements high-energy and protein nutritional supplements - if the other
treatments are not enough on their own.
 Severely malnourished children must be fed and rehydrated with great care.

Prevention
 People must eat plenty of meals that are rich in a range of nutrients so as to prevent
malnutrition.
 Older persons, youngsters, individuals with severe or persistent illnesses, and others may
require special attention to obtain the nutrients they require.
 Anyone initiating to exhibit malnutrition or undernutrition signs should consult a medical
professional for an evaluation and course of treatment.

Summarizing this concept:

An unsuitable diet leads to malnutrition. It can be caused by either having too few or too many nutrients
(undernutrition or over nutrition).

People, who are malnourished, often have:

 Low weight
 Harder to heal from wounds
 Among other symptoms are a loss of appetite, exhaustion, and depression.
 Malnutrition, however, does not always result from poor dietary decisions. Malnutrition can
sometimes be brought on by:
 An individual who possesses a digestive problem that stops their body from properly absorbing
nutrition,
 Does not have easy access to food,
 Cannot leave their home to buy food, and cannot prepare meals.

In a nutshell, malnutrition needs to be considered a serious issue that needs to be looked after in order
to save lives of the suffering children. Malnutrition treatment is a major objective for many healthcare
practitioners. A doctor and patient can discuss the possible causes of malnutrition and work together to
establish more nutrient-dense eating routines.