Malnutrition
Nutrition - inadequateMalnutrition is the condition that occurs when your body does not get enough nutrients.
Causes
There are many types of malnutrition, and they have different causes. Some causes include:
- Poor diet
- Starvation due to food not being available
- Eating disorders
- Problems with digesting food or absorbing nutrients from food (malabsorption)
- Certain medical conditions that make a person unable to eat
You may develop malnutrition if you lack a single vitamin in your diet. Lacking a vitamin or other nutrient is called a deficiency.
Sometimes malnutrition is very mild and causes no symptoms. Other times it can be so severe that the damage it does to the body is permanent, even though you survive.
Poverty, natural disasters, political problems, and war can all contribute to malnutrition and starvation, and not just in developing countries.
Some health conditions that are related to malnutrition are:
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Malabsorption
Malabsorption
Malabsorption involves problems with the body's ability to take in (absorb) nutrients from food.
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Hunger
Hunger
Increased appetite means you have an excess desire for food.
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Beriberi
Beriberi
Beriberi is a disease in which the body does not have enough thiamine (vitamin B1).
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Binge eating
Binge eating
Binge eating disorder is an eating disorder in which a person regularly eats unusually large amounts of food. During binge eating, the person also f...
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Deficiency - Vitamin A
Deficiency - Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored in the liver. There are two types of vitamin A that are found in the diet. Preformed vitamin A is f...
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Deficiency - Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Deficiency - Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Thiamin is one of the B vitamins. The B vitamins are a group of water-soluble vitamins that are part of many of the chemical reactions in the body....
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Deficiency - Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Deficiency - Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Riboflavin is a type of B vitamin. It is water soluble, which means it is not stored in the body. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. Leftov...
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Deficiency - Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Deficiency - Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water so the body cannot store them. Leftover amounts of the vitamin leav...
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Deficiency - Vitamin B9 (folacin)
Deficiency - Vitamin B9 (folacin)
Folic acid and folate are both terms for a type of B vitamin (vitamin B9). Folate is a B vitamin that occurs naturally in foods such as green leafy v...
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Deficiency - Vitamin E
Deficiency - Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. Your body stores vitamin E in fatty tissue and the liver.
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Deficiency - Vitamin K
Deficiency - Vitamin K
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin. Your body stores vitamin K in the liver and other body tissues, including the brain, heart, pancreas, and bone....
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Eating disorders
Eating disorders
Bulimia is an eating disorder in which a person has regular episodes of eating a very large amount of food (bingeing) during which the person feels a...
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Kwashiorkor
Kwashiorkor
Kwashiorkor is a form of malnutrition that occurs when there is not enough protein in the diet.
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Pellagra
Pellagra
Pellagra is a disease that occurs when a person does not get enough niacin (one of the B complex vitamins) or tryptophan (an amino acid).
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Rickets
Rickets
Rickets is a disorder caused by a lack of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate. It leads to softening and weakening of the bones.
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Scurvy
Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease that occurs when you have a severe lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in your diet. Scurvy causes general weakness, anemia, gum d...
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Spina bifida
Spina bifida
Myelomeningocele is a birth defect in which the backbone and spinal canal do not close fully before birth. The condition is a type of neural tube de...
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Malnutrition is a significant problem all over the world, especially among children. It is very harmful to children because it affects brain development and other growth. Children who suffer from malnutrition may have lifelong problems.
Symptoms
Symptoms of malnutrition vary and depend on its cause. General symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, and weight loss.
Exams and Tests
Testing depends on the specific disorder. Most health care providers will do a nutritional assessment and blood work.
Treatment
Treatment most often consists of:
- Replacing missing nutrients
- Treating symptoms as needed
- Treating any underlying medical condition
Outlook (Prognosis)
The outlook depends on the cause of the malnutrition. Most nutritional deficiencies can be corrected. However, if malnutrition is caused by a medical condition, that illness has to be treated in order to reverse the nutritional deficiency.
Possible Complications
If untreated, malnutrition can lead to mental or physical disability, illness, and possibly death.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Talk to your provider about the risk of malnutrition. Treatment is necessary if you or your child have any changes in the body's ability to function. Contact your provider if these symptoms develop:
- Fainting
- Lack of menstruation
- Lack of growth in children
- Rapid hair loss
Prevention
Eating a well-balanced diet helps to prevent most forms of malnutrition.
References
Ashworth A. Nutrition, food security, and health. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier;2020:chap 57.
Ziegler TR, Malnutrition: assessment and support. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 204.
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myPlate - illustration
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's food guide, called MyPlate, encourages consumers to make healthier food choices. The guide encourages you to make healthy choices and avoid oversized portions. Half your plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables. At least half of your grains should be whole grains. You also should switch to fat-free or low-fat milk.
myPlate
illustration
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myPlate - illustration
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's food guide, called MyPlate, encourages consumers to make healthier food choices. The guide encourages you to make healthy choices and avoid oversized portions. Half your plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables. At least half of your grains should be whole grains. You also should switch to fat-free or low-fat milk.
myPlate
illustration
Review Date: 4/27/2023
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.