Which Health Issue is Associated With Malnutrition?

Health issues are associated with malnourishment

You wonder which health issue is associated with malnutrition. Malnutrition is a problem in which a person gets too low a quantity of nutrients or too high a quantity of nutrients. It’s a condition of deficiency of minerals, vitamins, or other nutrients required by the body. Millions and billions of people are affected by malnutrition worldwide. Serious health issues are associated with malnutrition, including eye problems, stunted growth, diabetes, and heart disease.

Which Health Issue is Associated With Malnutrition?

Types of malnutrition diseases

The overconsumption of nutrients or deficiency of nutrients leads to malnutrition. There are two types of malnutrition. 

Undernutrition symptoms

The body needs a balanced diet with a sufficient amount of nutrients. When the body does not get an adequate amount of micronutrients, calories, or proteins, it tends to cause undernutrition. Undernutrition symptoms include muscle mass or fat loss, weight loss, swollen stomach, dry skin, dry hair, sunken eyes, irritability, and fatigue. Now the question arises that which health issue is associated with malnutrition? And the answer is many!

Malnutrition diseases

People who face undernutrition type of malnutrition have several health issues. 

• Kwashiorkor malnutrition
  

It’s a protein deficiency health problem that becomes the reason for fluid retention and causes protruding abdomen. 

• Marasmus malnutrition
  

It is a condition that occurs due to the lack of an adequate quantity of calories. When the body is not getting enough calories, it leads to severe fat and muscle loss. 

• Goiters disease
  

Goiters are a health issue that occurs when the thyroid glands are enlarged due to iodine deficiency.

• Vitamin A deficiency disease
  

Vitamin A is an essential vitamin required by the body in a balanced quantity. Animal food can provide vitamin A (retinol), and plant-based foods, including carrots, broccoli, spinach, mangoes, and oranges, provide vitamin A (carotenoid). But when the body experiences severe deficiency of vitamin A, the person is more likely to undergo blindness or even death. 

• Iron deficiency disease
  

Pneumonia, malaria, diarrhea, measles, or Aids can occur due to severe iron deficiency. When a person suffers from malnutrition due to a lack of iron, these health issues arise. 

Over-nutrition disease

When the nutrients such as fat, proteins, or calories are overconsumed, it leads to malnutrition. Eventually, a person has to experience obesity and overweight. The symptoms of over-nutrition include excess weight, fatigue, depression, and anxiety.

Health issues 

A person is more likely to have obesity or overweight who has over nutrition type of malnutrition. 

• Overweight and obesity

Obesity is itself a mixture of diseases as it can lead to other primary illnesses. The excessive accumulation of fat in the body is the root cause of obesity. It leads to many other health problems such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and some types of cancer.

Bottom Line

Malnutrition is not just due to deficiency of nutrition in the body, but overconsumption can also lead to malnutrition. A body requires a balanced and sufficient quantity of nutrients like proteins, calories, fats, and other micronutrients. Deficiency of nutrients, like iodine, iron, or vitamin A is more dangerous that leads to many health issues, like goiters, marasmus, and kwashiorkor. Overconsumption is also associated with obesity and overweight and affects the whole body, and makes a person more vulnerable to certain health diseases.