List of types of malnutrition

List of types of malnutrition
List of types of malnutrition
Specialty	Nutrition

Nutritional Diseases are diseases in humans that are directly or indirectly caused by a lack of essential nutrients in the diet. Nutritional diseases are commonly associated with chronic malnutrition. Additionally, conditions such as obesity from overeating can also cause, or contribute to, serious health problems. Excessive intake of some nutrients can cause acute poisoning.

Overnutrition

Metabolic

Obesity is caused by consuming too many calories compared to the amount of exercise the body is performing, causing a distorted energy balance. It can lead to diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Obesity is a condition in which the natural energy reserve, stored in the fatty tissue of humans and other mammals, is increased to a point where it is associated with certain health conditions or increased mortality.

The low-cost food that is generally affordable to the poor in affluent nations is low in nutritional value and high in fats, sugars and additives. In rich countries, therefore, obesity is oftentimes a sign of poverty and malnutrition while in poorer countries obesity is more associated with wealth and good nutrition. Other non-nutritional causes for unhealthy obesity included: sleep deprivation, stress, lack of exercise, and heredity.

Acute overeating can also be a symptom of an eating disorder.

Goitrogenic foods can cause goitres by interfering with iodine uptake.

Vitamins and Micro nutrients

Vitamin poisoning is the condition of overly high storage levels of vitamins, which can lead to toxic symptoms. The medical names of the different conditions are derived from the vitamin involved: an excess of vitamin A, for example, is called "hypervitaminosis A".

Iron overload disorders are diseases caused by the overaccumulation of iron in the body. Organs commonly affected are the liver, heart and endocrine glands.

Deficiencies

Proteins/fats/carbohydrates

Protein-energy malnutrition

Dietary vitamins and minerals

Calcium
Iodine deficiency
- Goiter
Selenium deficiency
- Keshan disease
Iron deficiency
- Iron deficiency anemia
Zinc
- Growth retardation
Thiamine (Vitamin B₁)
- Beriberi
Niacin (Vitamin B₃)
- Pellagra
Vitamin C
- Scurvy
Vitamin D
- Osteoporosis
- Rickets

Complex disorders

In some cases, eating too much of one thing can induce an apparent deficiency of something else. A common example occurs when livestock eat locoweed: locoweed contains a toxin that inhibits enzymes, simulating a deficiency of the enzymes.

Poor People and Nutrition

Nutrition is for people who have the power to buy any kind of food they want, food is at their doorstep and if they do not have the money the Government protects and feeds them. These people can afford to take care of their bodies, and their appearance through good nutrition. However in Africa Diet and Nutrition are not popular subjects, you can not talk about proper Diet and Nutrition to most peoples in Africa, because the words have no meaning for the masses. Only a group of Privileged People can afford to understand these words. People live from day to day, they eat whatever they can get in any day. Sometimes they have one meal a day and they wake up next day with nothing to eat. There is alack of everything and there is no money to buy anything. They are not protected by the Government, they eat only what they can provide for themselves and most of them have no money. Therefore when a doctor says "Watch your diet and think about Nutrition", the words are empty. They have no meaning. Poor People eat what they have for each day, they can not afford Nutrition...

Foot notes

^ "Mortality and Burden of Disease Estimates for WHO Member States in 2002" (xls). World Health Organization. 2002.
^ "Malnutrition Is Cheating Its Survivors, and Africa’s Future" article in the New York Times by Michael Wines, December 28, 2006