Malnutrition in the world
Nutrition is the science that studies foods and their relationship with health. By malnutrition, on the other hand, we mean a pathological condition that occurs when the organism does not receive the various nutrients in adequate proportions. According to this definition, cases of malnutrition can be divided into two broad categories: those due to a reduction in nutrition. energy intake and those related to caloric over-intake (which we will not discuss in this article).
Before describing the pathological side of malnutrition, it is good to remember that undernourished people do not reside only in developing countries, but are also a common reality in the most industrialized nations, especially among the lower classes and in hospitalized patients.
In 1996, hunger cost India 6-9% of GDP
Late 1990s: obesity cost the United States 12% of healthcare spending ($ 118 billion)
In 2001 the number of obese people reached the number of people who risk death from malnutrition.
When fasting lasts beyond 24 hours, the body begins to use muscle proteins massively to obtain energy. This leads to a reduction in muscle mass, with consequent weakness and apathy. Furthermore, there is a significant reduction in plasma proteins, with consequent appearance of generalized edema (presence of excess fluid in the interstitial spaces of the body).
CAUSES OF MALNUTRITION: Reduced nutritional intake; Increased energy expenditure; Loss or non-absorption of nutrients.
Malnutrition pathologies: Kwashiorkor and Marasma
PROTEIN-ENERGY MALNUTRITION (PEM): term coined in 1976 to indicate a pathological condition sustained by the excessive reduction of protein and caloric intake. It occurs in two forms: Kwashiorkor and marasma.
Kwashiorkor is also known as the disease of the second child, as it mainly affects the firstborn. In the poorest countries, the period between one pregnancy and the next is rather short, as soon as the mother becomes pregnant with her second child she is no longer able to supply the right amount of nutrients to the firstborn, who undergoes this serious malnutrition pathology. In particular, the causative agent of kwashiorkor is represented by a diet rich in carbohydrates (starch) but extremely low in proteins. The main characteristics of children affected by Kwashiorkor are the swollen abdomen, caused by edema (causative agent: hypoalbunemia), and fatty liver or fatty liver (causative agent: reduction of circulating lipoproteins). Other obvious signs of this malnutrition disease are skin depigmentation, growth retardation, muscle weakness and swelling of the face (face to moon). The mortality rate can reach 30-60%.
The other form of PEM malnutrition is marasma (from the Greek maraimo = to consume, debilitate). Unlike Kwashiorkor, marasma is due to the adaptation of the body to malnutrition and is sustained by both protein and caloric deprivation. The body reacts to the poor energy supply by exploiting all the energy reserves (lipid and protein) at its disposal, including essential or primary ones. The pathology is therefore characterized by an "extreme loss of adipose and muscle tissue which involves: dry skin (children with marasma have an aged appearance), hypothermia, muscle wasting, irritability and stunting.
See also:
arm circumference
as an indication of malnutrition
Malnutrition can also be linked to a deficit in the intake of micronutrients (water, mineral salts and vitamins).
Vitamin deficiencies
There is talk of hypovitaminosis in the presence of insufficient intake of vitamins with the diet.This deficit can be linked to an absolute nutritional deficiency (avitaminosis) or relative (hypovitaminosis), to the increased need (pregnancy, stress, etc.) or to pathologies affecting the digestive tract (ulcers, stomach cancer, etc.).
