MALNUTRITION

By Erynn NguyenRamzi Matar

Sawsan Hasan

WHAT IS MALNUTRITION?

Malnutrition is: poor nutrition due to an insufficient or

poorly balanced diet or faulty digestion or poor utilization of foods. (This can result in the inability to absorb foods.)

Malnutrition is not only insufficient intake of nutrients. It can occur when an individual is getting excessive nutrients as well.

WHAT CAUSES MALNUTRITION?

Human beings need a wide variety of nutrients to supply essential energy. Do you know what nutrients we need?

protein vitamins minerals

If any one of these nutrients is deficient in a person's diet, then malnutrition develops.

WHAT CAUSES MALNUTRITION?(continued)

Malnutrition also occurs when there is an imbalance of energy and protein in an individual’s diet. With this problem, other deficiencies arise as the body is unable to absorb many of the nutrients it requires to function.

*For example, if a child is suffering from an energy and protein malnutrition, they will most likely have deficiencies in iron, calcium, and other vitamins and minerals.

WHO OR WHAT IS AFFECTED BY MALNUTRITION?

Individuals that are dependent and rely on others for their nourishment. (infants, children, the elderly, prisoners)

The mentally disabled or ill because they are not aware of what to eat.

People who are suffering from tuberculosis, eating disorders, HIV/AIDS, wasting illnesses such as cancer, and many surgical procedures can interfere with appetite or food uptake and cause malnutrition.

People who are getting excessive amounts of protein can also suffer from malnutrition. This can be known as secondary malnutrition.

BUT DO YOU KNOW THE NUMBER ONE FACTOR THAT CAUSES MALNUTRITION?

POVERTY!

POVERTY… People that are living in third world countries

are living through states of poverty and are lacking food, and therefore nutrients to help their bodies stay in balance. They are also not well educated about the nutrients their bodies need and how to obtain those nutrients.

STATISTICS If a child is even

mildly underweight, the mortality risk is increased. It is estimated that malnutrition was associated with over half of all child deaths that occurred in developing countries in 1995.

MEDIAN CHILD MALNUTRITION RATE

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS?

The effects of malnutrition are as follows:

pronounced weight loss with loss of muscle formation, particularly on the shoulders and buttocks

absence of fat under the skin thin, papery skin hanging in folds the skin may be darker, as if the child has

sunburn hair loss

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS?(continued)

Discolored, fine, brittle hair that often has a copper sheen

skin rash or so-called "crazy-paving dermatitis", where the skin is darker in patches with pale areas in between

grossly swollen tummy enlarged liver apathy and listlessness

SOURCES & BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://www.nutrition.org.uk/information/dietandhealth/malnutrition.html

http://www.malnutrition.org/malnutrition.html

Malnutrition Book © 1994

THE END

Thanks for your attention!

-Erynn, Ramzi, and Sawsan