Malnutrition
What is malnutrition?
symptoms
Causes and risk factors
Multiples
Diagnosis
treatment
protection
Malnutrition is a term used to describe a situation in which the body does not get all or part of the essential nutrients it needs.
The severity of malnutrition ranges from marginal mild to severe, causing irreversible damage even if the person survives.
Malnutrition develops in patients gradually and is difficult to diagnose at first, and may progress to cause significant physical harm. Prior knowledge of the symptoms of malnutrition contributes to prompt treatment.
When malnutrition is linked to a lack of food, or a misunderstanding of nutritional needs, the authorities responsible for public health must solve this problem and prevent its occurrence by providing sufficient quantities of food, and by raising awareness of proper nutrition methods. When the background of malnutrition is satisfactory, Or as a result of negligence and eating disorders, the responsibility in this case falls on the treating physicians.
Symptoms of malnutrition
There are many symptoms of malnutrition, which are as follows:
1. Symptoms of general malnutrition
Among the most prominent symptoms of general malnutrition are the following:
Loss of appetite and unwillingness to eat and drink.
Tiredness and feeling restless.
difficulty concentrating
feeling cold.
Depression.
wasting of muscle or body fat;
Increased risk of disease.
Difficulty healing wounds.
Frequent exposure to postoperative complications.
2. Symptoms of malnutrition in children
Among the most prominent symptoms of malnutrition in children are the following:
Slow growth, weight loss.
Fatigue and loss of energy.
anxiety.
Slow to act and difficult to learn.
Causes and risk factors for malnutrition
There are many causes and factors that lead to malnutrition, as follows:
1. Causes of malnutrition
Among the main causes of malnutrition are the following:
lack of food
This deficiency occurs if the body does not obtain one or more of the vital elements required to carry out its functions normally, or due to poor absorption of the nutrients contained in a portion of the food despite the availability of the required quantity and elements in it.
Among the main factors that lead to a lack of food intake are the following:
Cancer incidence.
Liver problems.
Health problems that cause difficulty swallowing.
Take some medications that cause nausea.
economic and social problems
Severe malnutrition caused by starvation or lack of food is a phenomenon that characterizes developing countries, but in developed countries this type of malnutrition appears in the lower socioeconomic classes, or as a result of medical neglect or in the case of people who suffer from abnormal food fadism And despite eating enough food, malnutrition can result from a difficult chronic illness, or as a result of poor absorption of nutrients from food in the digestive system for a permanent or temporary cause.
It is also worth noting that a deficiency in only one nutrient, such as a particular vitamin, is also considered malnutrition.
Mental health problems
The most prominent mental illnesses that cause malnutrition are:
Depression.
dementia;
Schizophrenia.
Anorexia nervosa.
Gastrointestinal Diseases
Gastrointestinal diseases may cause problems in the absorption of food, which leads to malnutrition. The most important of these diseases are:
Crohn's disease.
Ulcerative colitis.
Celiac disease.
Diarrhea or persistent vomiting.
Disorders caused by drinking alcohol
Drinking alcohol may cause gastritis or damage to the pancreas, making it difficult to digest food, or absorb nutrients from it, leading to malnutrition.
2. Risk factors
Groups most at risk of malnutrition:
children
Following the intense need for essential nutrients and energy for growth, infants and children of the growing age are more susceptible to the damage of malnutrition, resulting in emaciation, delayed growth and development, anemia, and signs of vitamin deficiencies.
pregnancy and lactation
The needs of the child necessitate providing good nutrition for the mother, and the lack of food in general may lead to premature birth, and the deficiency of folic acid in the diet of the pregnant woman can lead to congenital damage to the nervous system of the fetus, and the lack of access to vitamin B12 would lead to a deficiency in this Vitamin in the infant.
the elderly
Inability to regulate nutritional needs, or poor absorption of nutrients, especially iron, may result in malnutrition in the elderly.
Chronic disease patients
Diseases related to malabsorption of nutrients, or diseases that put stress on the body, are usually accompanied by loss of appetite, necessitate attention to providing rich nutrition to ensure the body's ability to perform its functions.
Complications of malnutrition
Among the main complications of malnutrition:
Weakened immunity of the patient and the speed of his exposure to infection.
Wound healing problems.
Difficulty balancing salts and fluids inside the body.
Difficulty controlling temperature.
Malnutrition diagnosis
The first step in the case of diagnosing malnutrition is the doctor seeks to find out the cause, and if the cause is the result of digestive disorders or other diseases, then the following tests are required:
blood test.
A test to measure questionable nutrients, including: iron.
An albumin test to see the level of protein in the blood and to make sure that there are no kidney or liver diseases.
malnutrition treatment
Patients are treated according to the health status that causes malnutrition, but in general, malnutrition is dealt with in the following ways:
1. Treatment of malnutrition in simple cases
At first, the doctor asks patients to follow the following advice:
Eat fortified food rich in protein.
Make sure to eat light meals between main meals.
Drink drinks full of calories.
Avoid excessive movement and stay at home.
In the event that the previous advice did not meet the purpose, the doctor may prescribe nutritional supplements and drinks rich in calories and nutrients.
2. Treatment of severe malnutrition
If the patient is unable to eat orally, or if he has a health problem that hinders swallowing, the doctor may install a feeding tube that enters from the nose directly into the stomach, and the patient may be fed intravenously.
Prevention of malnutrition
Malnutrition can be prevented by following the following tips:
Eating more vegetables and fruits.
Eat a diet rich in starchy foods, such as: rice, bread, potatoes, and pasta.
Drink milk and eat dairy products.
Ensure that the food contains protein, and the most important foods rich in protein are: fish, meat, eggs, and beans
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