Malnutrition

1. Malnutrition

2. What is malnutrition? Malnutrition is a broad term which refers to both under nutrition and over nutrition. Individuals are malnourished, or suffer from under nutrition if their diet does not provide them with adequate calories and protein for maintenance and growth. People are also malnourished, or suffer from over nutrition if they consume too many calories. 

3. Affects • Malnutrition harms people both physically and mentally. The more nutrients he or she is missing the more likely it is that person will have problems. • Malnutrition increases the risk of infection and infectious disease and moderate malnutrition weakens every part of the immune system. Protein and energy malnutrition and deficiencies of specific micronutrients increase susceptibility to infection. In communities or areas that lack access to safe drinking water, these additional health risks present a critical problem. Lower energy and impaired function of the brain also represent the downward spiral of malnutrition as victims are less able to perform the tasks they need to in order to acquire food, earn an income, or gain an education.

4. Symptoms • The signs and symptoms of malnutrition depend on which nutritional deficiencies a person has, although they can include: • fatigue and low energy • dizziness • poor immune function • dry, scaly skin • swollen and bleeding gums • decaying teeth • slowed reaction times and trouble paying attention • underweight • poor growth • muscle weakness • bloated stomach • bones that break easily • problems with organ function • problems learning

5. What can doctors do? • Fortunately, many of the harmful effects of malnutrition can be reversed, especially if a person is only mildly malnourished. If you or your parents think you aren't getting enough of the right nutrients, you can seek advice from your doctor, who may look for signs of malnutrition in several ways. He or she will ask about how you are feeling. • When checking for malnutrition, a doctor may do one of several things: • Look at person’s BMI to see whether it's in the healthy range • Check for diseases or conditions that might be the underlying cause of malnutrition • Use blood tests to check for nutritional deficiencies

6. Malnutrition in India • The World Bank estimates that India is ranked 1st in the world of the number of children suffering from malnutrition. The prevalence of underweight children in India is among the highest in the world. The UN estimates that 2.1 million Indian children die before reaching the age of 5 every year – four every minute! One in every three malnourished children in the world lives in India.

7. Malnutrition in India

8. Malnutrition in the World • In most of the world, malnutrition is present in the form of under-nutrition, which is caused by a diet lacking adequate calories and protein, not enough food, and of poor quality. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that nearly 870 million people or one in eight people in the world, were suffering from undernourishment in 2010-2012.

9. Malnutrition in the World

10. Prevention • The best way to prevent and ensure that you get the correct amount of nutrients is to eat a healthy, balanced diet. • A healthy and balanced diet contains foods from all the major food groups. • The four main food groups are: • fruit and vegetables – at least 5 A DAY • bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, cereals and other starchy foods • milk and dairy foods – such as cheese and yoghurt • meat, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, and other non-dairy sources of protein