Definition:
*Malnutrition is defined as the imbalance between the body’s need and the intake of nutrients, which can lead to nutritional disorder.
*According to WHO, malnutrition is the cellular imbalance between the supply of nutrients and the body’s demand for them to ensure growth, maintenance and specific functions.
Types of Malnutrition:
• Malnutrition is divided into Two main Categories:
1. Under nutrition
2. Over Nutrition
• Undernutrition:
In this condition, nutrients are undersupplied. The person doesn’t meet upto the required amount of nutrition by the body. Which Cause the calorie deficiency and other affects other body functions.
This category covers stunting (low height for age), wasting (low weight for height), underweight (low weight for age) and micronutrient deficiencies (lack of important minerals)
• Cause of Undernutrition:
• Inadequate access to Food
• Inadequate care for Children and Women
• Insufficient health Services and Unhealthy environment
•Consequences of Undernutrition:
• Impaired brain development and lower IQ
• Premature death
• Low birth weight
• Lost productivity and increased health care costs
• Weak immune system
• Risk of diabetes, Cancer, Stroke, Hypertension, and other non communicable disease
• Overnutrition:
Over Nutrition is a condition in which the person receives excess amount of nutrition than the required amount of nutrition to the body.
It can also be explained as a kind of malnutrition in which intake of nutrients is oversupplied. (i.e. the amount of nutrients exceed the amount required for normal growth, development and metabolism)
• Cause of Overnutrition:
• Excessive eating of junk food
• Taking excessive amount of:
1. Nicotinic Acid (Niacin) to lower elevated cholesterol levels
2. 2. Vitamin B6
3. 3. Vitamin A to clear up skin problems
4. 4. Iron or other Trace minerals (not prescribed by a doctor)
• Consequences of Overnutrition:
• Heart Disease
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• High Blood Pressure
• Sleep apnea
• Hypertension
• Respiratory Problems. etc.
• Prevention Of Malnutrition:
• PRIMARY PREVENTION:
• Health Education to mother about good nutrition and food hygiene
• Immunisation of Children
• Growth monitoring on growth charts specially of all children under 3 year of age
• SECONDARY PREVENTION:
• Mass Screening of High Risk populations, using simple tools like weight for age
• TERTIARY PREVENTION:
• Good nutritional care, supplementary feeding and rehabilitation, counseling of mother
