Life Health Sciences – Science Rules it All

In the earlier posts, you have learnt about the components of food and the nutrient requirements of our body. What will happen if we do not take the required amount of nutrients? Eating of food that does not have one or more than one nutrients in required amount is known as MALNUTRITION. Malnutrition may be due to one or more of the following reasons.

• Willful starvation or low food intake – when the person decides not to eat or to eat insufficient amounts of food.
• Poor health of individual – due to infections, repeated attacks of diarrhea and round worm infections.
• Lack of awareness of nutritional qualities of food, nutritional requirements, irrational and wrong beliefs about food and wrong feeding habits.
• Socio-economic factors – such as poverty, different amounts and types of foods given to different members (like boys and girls) in the same family.
• Poor quality of housing. Sanitation and water supply also contributes to ill health

Short term effects of malnutrition:

When the amount of food taken is not sufficient or when one or more than one nutrient is missing from the diet for a short period of time, no harmful effects are seen in the adults. During this period, the body tries to compensate the deficiency for a limited period. Body uses the stored reserves of carbohydrates and fats to generate energy some of the body proteins may also be used during this period. At the same time, excretion of required nutrients is reduced. As children have very low amounts of reserved food material, this compensation occurs to a very limited extent in the children.

Long term effects of malnutrition:

Long terms of malnutrition are different in adult and children.

Adults:

In adults, once the stored carbohydrates and fats are used up, the body starts using proteins to generate energy. These proteins usually come from the tissue proteins especially from muscle. As a result, the person looses body mass and the weight is reduced. The person becomes weak and feeble. Such a person gets tired very quickly and avoids doing heavy work. By avoiding work, the person conserves energy even if it is small. Such people do not have enough energy to defend their body against disease. They are easily affected by bacterial and viral infections. However, when such people are given adequate food at this stage, they recover quickly and become normal very soon.

Children:

The effects of long term malnutrition are more severe in children. Unlike adults, children do not have sufficient amount of carbohydrates and fats in reserve and their rate of metabolism is also high. When starved or given insufficient food for longer periods of time, their body reserves are used up quickly. Body proteins are used up and the child quickly starts loosing body mass. As a result, the child weighs less than a normal child. Such children have a very low resistance and cannot defend against diseases. They are easily affected by bacterial and viral infections and fall sick very frequently. The most common disease in these children is persistent diarrhoea. This will weaken them further. Because of weakness and sickness, such children do not show any interest in physical activities such as games. Usually during the childhood years, the brain growth is very rapid. When sufficient energy and nutrients are not available, growth of brain becomes slow. Such children will have difficulties in learning and other mental activities.

Pregnant women have a higher requirement of nutrients and energy. Malnutrition in pregnant woman affects not only her health but also the physical and mental health of child.

Different types of malnutrition in children:

1. 1. Calorie malnutrition: This is seen in children who are given insufficient amounts of energy providing nutrients such as carbohydrates and fats. This is also called energy malnutrition.
2. 2. Protein malnutrition: This is seen in children who are given less amount of protein in their diet or they are fed on proteins that have lesser amounts of essential amino acids.
3. 3. Protein-calorie malnutrition: This is seen in children who are given poor quality food in which energy giving substances and proteins are less.

It must be said that too much of food is also as harmful as too less of food. Too much of food lead to a condition called OBESITY.

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