Just In
- 18 min ago Russian Influencer Starves His Newborn To Death With Sunlight Diet, Know Dos And Don’ts Of This Diet
- 2 hrs ago Mahavir Jayanti 2024: Date, Time, History, Celebrations And Teachings Of Lord Mahavir In Jainism
- 3 hrs ago Parineeti Chopra Saree Looks: Check Amar Singh Chamkila Actor's Regal Fashion Statements
- 5 hrs ago Vidya Balan's 'Do Aur Do Pyaar' Urban Boho Style Avatar Is Relatable And Inspiring, Check Her Modern Avatar!
Don't Miss
- Movies Thug Life Release Date Update: Kamal Haasan-Mani Ratnam's Epic Drama To Hit Screens In 2025 On This Date?
- News WATCH Viral Video Mona Lisa Rapping: Microsoft's AI App Transforms Iconic Painting Into Singing Sensation
- Education UPMSP Class 10 and 12 Results 2024 to be Released Today, Check the Details Here
- Sports Virat Kohli Record Against Kolkata Knight Riders and at Eden Gardens Ahead Of RCB vs KKR IPL 2024 Match 36
- Finance Want To Be Debt Free? 5 Simple Ways To Repay Your Loan Faster
- Automobiles Tesla CEO Elon Musk's Much-Awaited Visit to India Deferred, Leaving Questions Unanswered
- Technology Garena Free Fire Max Redeem Codes for April 20, 2024: Get Access to the Latest In-game Loot
- Travel Journey From Delhi To Ooty: Top Transport Options And Attractions
Malnutrition In Children And Adults: Causes, Effects And Prevention
According to the data by The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) and National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) Nutrition, in 2017, malnutrition was the primary risk factor for death in children below 5 years in every state of India. It accounted for 68.2% of the total deaths in children. The death rate drastically increased to 706,000.
South Asia has the highest child malnutrition, according to the Global Hunger Index. Around the world, about 795 Million people are undernourished, the majority of which are in Africa and Asia.
The World Bank data indicates that India has one of the world's highest demographics of children suffering from malnutrition. In India in 2017, the prevalence of low birth-weight was at 21.4%, child underweight was at 32.7%, child wasting was at 15.7%, child stunting was at 39.3%, overweight children at 11.5%, anaemia in children was 59.7%, and anaemia in women aged 15-49 was 54.4%.
The states of India where malnutrition is prominent are Rajasthan, Bihar, Assam and Uttar Pradesh.
What Is Malnutrition? [1]
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), malnutrition means there is a deficiency or imbalance in a person's intake of nutrients. It covers two broad groups of conditions - undernutrition which includes wasting, stunting, underweight and micronutrient deficiencies. The second one is overnutrition where there is an oversupply of nutrients which can lead to obesity, vitamin poisoning, etc.
Causes Of Malnutrition [2]
- Long-term conditions that cause lack of appetite
- Disrupted digestion
- Increase in the body's demand for energy
- Mental health conditions like schizophrenia or depression which affects your mood and desire to eat
- Conditions such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis disrupt the body's ability to digest food or absorb nutrients
- Another cause of malnutrition could be anorexia, an eating disorder
- Social and mobility problems
- Alcoholism
- Breastfeeding.
Signs And Symptoms Of Malnutrition
- Loss of interest in foods or drinks
- Irritability and tiredness
- Inability to concentrate
- Feeling cold all the time
- Loss of body tissue, muscle mass, and loss of fat
- Longer healing time for wounds
- Higher risk of getting sick and taking time to recover.
Children show a lack of growth and they become tired and irritable. The behavioural and intellectual development also become slow, possibly resulting in learning difficulties. And when adults suffer from severe undernourishment, they make a full recovery with treatment.
Types Of Malnutrition
1.
Growth
failure
malnutrition
-
It
is
the
failure
of
an
individual
to
grow
as
expected
in
weight
and
height
according
to
his
or
her
age
and
gender
[3]
.
2.
Acute
malnutrition
or
wasting
-
It
occurs
out
of
sudden,
drastic
weight
loss.
This
leads
to
three
types
of
clinical
malnutrition
marasmus,
kwashiorkor,
and
marasmic-kwashiorkor
[4]
.
3.
Chronic
malnutrition
or
stunting
-
This
type
of
malnutrition
begins
before
birth
due
to
poor
maternal
health
and
leads
to
the
stunted
growth
of
the
child.
4.
Micronutrient
malnutrition
-
This
refers
to
a
moderate
to
severe
lack
of
vitamin
A,
vitamin
B,
vitamin
C,
vitamin
D,
calcium,
iodine,
folate,
iron,
zinc
and
selenium.[5]
.
What Are The Effects Of Malnutrition In Children? [6]
- Decaying teeth
- Poor immune function
- Swollen and bleeding gums
- Dry and scaly skin
- Underweight
- Having trouble in focusing and paying attention
- Bloated stomach
- Muscle weakness
- Poor growth
- Loss of energy
- Osteoporosis
- Organ function failure
- Learning problems
What Causes Malnutrition In Children? [7]
Diseases that cause chronic intestinal inflammation such as inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease in children may lead to malnutrition. Intestinal worm infections in children also cause malnutrition in children.
How
To
Treat
Malnourished
Children?
[8]
Many of the harmful effects of malnutrition can be reversed only if the child is mildly malnourished. If you are seeing that your child is becoming weaker, then he or she is lacking nutrients. Speak to your doctor who may conduct a physical exam and will ask about the types and amount of food your child is eating. The doctor will also measure your child's height, weight and body mass index (BMI), check for any underlying conditions that could cause malnutrition, order blood tests to check for nutritional deficiencies.
The treatment for malnutrition totally depends on the cause. A dietitian might recommend specific changes in the quantity of food and recommend dietary supplements such as vitamins and minerals. Not only children, but older adults also seem to have malnutrition too.
What Are The Effects Of Malnutrition In Older Adults?
Older adults with malnutrition can have numerous health problems like unintentional weight loss, loss of strength and muscle weakness, tiredness and fatigue, depression, anaemia, depression, problems with memory and a weak immune system.
Due to these health problems, malnourished adults visit their doctors more often. They are unable to recover from surgery or other procedures as quickly as healthy adults who are well-nourished.
What Causes Malnutrition In Older Adults? [9]
A number of things can cause malnutrition in adults which include:
Health
problems
-
Having
health
problems
like
dementia
and
other
chronic
illnesses
lead
to
a
loss
of
appetite.
They
may
be
put
on
a
restricted
diet
as
well.
Medicines
-
There
are
certain
medicines
that
can
decrease
your
appetite
or
affect
the
taste
and
smell
of
food
which
might
make
it
harder
to
consume
food.
Disability
-
Older
adults
living
with
dementia
or
physical
disabilities
and
staying
alone
may
not
be
able
to
cook
for
themselves.
Alcohol
-
It
decreases
appetite
and
disrupts
the
body's
natural
process
of
absorbing
nutrients.
It
interferes
with
the
nutrition
process
by
affecting
food
storage,
digestion,
utilization
and
excretion
of
nutrients.
How To Treat Malnutrition In Older Adults? [10]
- It is essential to request screenings for nutrition problems during routine doctor visits and ask about nutritional requirements that best suits you.
- Food packed with nutrients should be consumed. Eat as much as nuts and seeds, curd, fruits, vegetables, cereals, nut butters, whole milk etc. You could add extra egg whites to omelettes and add cheese to your soups, noodles and sandwiches to enhance the nutritional value.
- A restricted diet can be made more appealing by using lemon juice, spices and herbs.
- Binge on healthy snacks like a piece of fruit or cheese, a spoonful of peanut butter or a fruit smoothie that will provide your body with an ample amount of nutrients and calories.
- Try doing moderate to light exercises daily, it will help stimulate appetite, strengthen bones and muscles.
Who Is At A Higher Risk Of Malnutrition?
- The elderly, especially those who are in hospital.
- People with low income or those who are socially isolated.
- People with long-term chronic disorders, for instance, eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia.
- People recovering from a serious illness or condition, particularly those conditions that affect their ability to eat.
How To Spot Malnutrition?
To detect malnutrition, you should observe your loved one's eating habits, watch out for unexplained weight loss, check for wounds that are taking time to heal, dental problems and keep a tab on medications that affect appetite.
Ways To Prevent Malnutrition
1. Make healthier food choices
It is very important to encourage your loved ones to make healthier food choices. First, start with getting your personalized nutritional information based on your gender, age, height, weight and physical activity level. Enjoy your food while you eat, fill half of your plate with oranges, red, brown and dark-green coloured fruits and vegetables.
2. Healthy snacking
Snack on healthy food items to get a good dose of extra nutrients and calories between meals. Healthy snacking will improve your overall health, boost brain power, regulate mood, and provide your body with a sufficient amount of energy.
3. Exercise
As malnutrition causes tremendous weight loss, exercising for good 30 minutes a day can help in managing weight, combat health conditions and diseases, improve mood and boost energy.
4. Add supplements to your diet
A person with malnutrition may benefit from a supplement shake or other nutritional supplements.
Share this article!
- [1] Yadav, S. S., Yadav, S. T., Mishra, P., Mittal, A., Kumar, R., & Singh, J. (2016). An Epidemiological Study of Malnutrition Among Under Five Children of Rural and Urban Haryana.Journal of clinical and diagnostic research : JCDR,10(2), LC07–LC10.
- [2] Motedayen, M., Dousti, M., Sayehmiri, F., & Pourmahmoudi, A. A. (2019). An Investigation of the Prevalence and Causes of Malnutrition in Iran: a Review Article and Meta-analysis.Clinical nutrition research,8(2), 101–118.
- [3] Scholl, T. O., Johnston, F. E., Cravioto, J., DeLicardie, E. R., & Lurie, D. S. (1979). The relationship of growth failure (chronic undernutrition) to the prevalence of clinically severe protein-energy malnutrition and to growth retardation in protein-energy malnutrition.The American journal of clinical nutrition,32(4), 872-878.
- [4] Bhadoria, A. S., Kapil, U., Bansal, R., Pandey, R. M., Pant, B., & Mohan, A. (2017). Prevalence of severe acute malnutrition and associated sociodemographic factors among children aged 6 months-5 years in rural population of Northern India: A population-based survey.Journal of family medicine and primary care,6(2), 380–385.
- [5] Gonmei, Z., & Toteja, G. S. (2018). Micronutrient status of Indian population.The Indian journal of medical research,148(5), 511–521.
- [6] Gaayeb, L., Sarr, J. B., Cames, C., Pinçon, C., Hanon, J. B., Ndiath, M. O., … Hermann, E. (2014). Effects of malnutrition on children's immunity to bacterial antigens in Northern Senegal.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene,90(3), 566–573.
- [7] Sahu, S. K., Kumar, S. G., Bhat, B. V., Premarajan, K. C., Sarkar, S., Roy, G., & Joseph, N. (2015). Malnutrition among under-five children in India and strategies for control.Journal of natural science, biology, and medicine,6(1), 18–23.
- [8] Lenters, L., Wazny, K., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2016). Management of severe and moderate acute malnutrition in children.Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health,205.
- [9] Hickson M. (2006). Malnutrition and ageing.Postgraduate medical journal,82(963), 2–8.
- [10] Wells, J. L., & Dumbrell, A. C. (2006). Nutrition and aging: assessment and treatment of compromised nutritional status in frail elderly patients.Clinical interventions in aging,1(1), 67–79.
- insyncIndia's Battle With Hunger: How Gender Gap, Food Loss, Wastage And Poverty Are Fuelling The Food Crisis
- healthFeeling Nauseous And Hungry At The Same Time? Best Foods To Eat When You're Nauseous
- womenPriyanka Chopra Visits Kenya As UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Urges People To Donate Amid Hunger Crisis
- nutritionWhat Are Leptin And Ghrelin And How Do They Affect The Body Weight?
- nutritionLeading Short Video App Josh And MASH Project Foundation Collaborate To Launch #HungerHarega Challenge
- womenHow Women's Nutrition Was Impacted During The Pandemic Induced Lockdown [Exclusive]
- nutrition40 Foods With Low/Zero Calories Available In India: Fruits, Vegetables, Beverages, Herb And Spices
- wellness10 Things That Happen To Your Body And Mind When You Don't Eat Enough Food
- nutritionFoods NOT TO Eat When You Are Extremely Hungry
- nutritionAll The Foods That Make You Hungrier After Eating Them!
- wellnessWhat Are The 7 Types Of Hunger And How To Deal With Them?
- disorders cureWhy Does Hunger Cause Headache? Causes, Symptoms And Tips To Prevent Hunger Headache