Malnutrition may be due to one or more of the following reasons:
* Willful starvation or low food intake.
* Poor health of the individual
* Lack of awareness of nutritional qualities and requirement of food.
* Socio-economic factors.
* Poor quality of sanitation and water supply leads to ill-health.
The effect of malnutrition depends on age, health-status of individual and the duration or time period when nutrients are not provided. These effects are divided into 2 types.
1. Short-term effects of malnutrition.
2. Long-term effects of malnutrition.
Short-term effects of malnutrition:
During this period, the body tries to compensate the deficiency for a limited period of time.
Long-term effects of malnutrition:
It is different in adults and children. In adults weight reduction occurs and cannot defend their body against infections.
If these people are given adequate food, they will recover and become normal very soon. In children the effects are more
Severe- weakness, sickness, growth of brain becomes slow, difficulty in learning and other mental activities.
Diseases of Malnutrition in Children:
Kwashiorkor- caused due to protein-malnutrition.
Marasmus- Caused due to protein calorie malnutrition.
Kwashiorkor: This is a disease due to protein deficiency in the diet. Kwashiorkor means displaced child i.e, mother stops giving milk to the child and the child is given alternative food before one year.
The effects of this disease on children are:
* Growth is slowed down in these children.
* Muscules are very poorly developed and legs are usually swollen.
* Face will be fluffy and moon shaped.
* Body parts become swollen due to accumulation of water in the intercellular spaces.
* Due to reduction of appetite in the child, he finds it difficult to eat food.
* child frequently suffers from diarrhoea.
* Hair becomes thin and does not have normal shine.
* The skin becomes dry and loose.
* The child becomes inactive, shows little interest in playing and learning.
Marasmus: It is disease caused due to deficiency of proteins and calories. The child is given a diet which contains less amount of proteins and carbohydrates. the body weight of such childern is 60% of the required weight for that age.
The effected children show:
*Thin limbs and prominent ribs. Muscules are less developed and body lacks fat under the skin.
* Skin becomes dry and shows wrinkles. Abdomen gives a swollen lok.
* Hair growth is inadequate and its color is faded.
*Body cannot defend against diseases as the defence mechanisms are also not well developed. The child may suffer from infections and diarrhoea.
* Child is highly irritable and has voracious appetite. He shows very little interest in the surroundings and in physical and mental activities.
So far we learnt about diseases due to malnutrition in children. Too much eating and excess energy intake is also dangerous
to our health, which leads to a condition called obesity. It is seen both in children and adults. Excess energy is converted into fat and stored in the cells of adipose-tissue locted below the skin. An obese children when grew up will be a target of many diseases. It leads to
* Cardiovascular problems.
* Hear-attack.
* Renal and gall-bladder problems.
* Diabetes with high concentration of sugar in the blood. Obese child becomes fun to his friends and compensates his frustration by overeating, which complicates the problem further.
Let us know about the steps to be taken by obese people to reduce their weight and size.
* spend more energy and reduce the intake of energy by reducing eating of energy-rich foods.
* Advisable to take more balanced fiber rich food.
* As a person loses weight, the amount of fat in the adpocytes falls, reducing the size. But it is important that their number should not be changed.
* Proper and required weight is to be maintained through proper diet and regular exercise.
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