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Prepared by Ms. Rafia Khan,School of
Education (Health & Physical
Education)BGSB Uni.

Malnutrition
B.Ed-204

“Malnutrition refers to when a person’s diet does not provide enough nutrients or the right balance of
nutrients for optimal health.”

Malnutrition results from a poor diet or a lack of food. It happens when the intake of nutrients or energy is too
high, too low, or poorly balanced. Under nutrition can lead to delayed growth, while a diet that provides too
much food, but not necessarily balanced, leads to obesity. In many parts of the world, under nutrition results from
a lack of food. In some cases, however, undernourishment may stem from a health condition, such as an eating
disorder or a chronic illness that prevents the person from absorbing nutrients.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malnutrition is the gravest single threat to global public
health. Globally, it contributes to 45 percent of deaths of children aged under 5 years.
Malnutrition involves a dietary deficiency. People may eat too much of the wrong type of food and have
malnutrition, when a person lacks nutrients because they do not consume enough food. Poor diet may lead to a
lack of vitamins, minerals, and other essential substances. Too little protein can lead to kwashiorkor, symptoms
of which include a distended abdomen. A lack of vitamin C can result in scurvy.

Malnutrition can lead to:

 short- and long-term health problems
 slow recovery from wounds and illnesses
 a higher risk of infection
 difficulty in focusing at work or school

Types of malnutrition include

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 462 million people worldwide are malnourished, and
stunted development due to poor diet affects 159 million children globally. Malnutrition during childhood can
lead not only to long-term health problems but also to educational challenges and limited work opportunities in
the future. Malnourished children often have smaller babies when they grow up. It can also slow recovery from
wounds and illnesses, and it can complicate diseases such as measles, pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhea. It can
leave the body more susceptible to disease.

“The cellular imbalance between the supply of nutrients and energy and body ’s
demand for them to ensure growth , maintenance and special function”
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 Prepared by Ms. Rafia Khan,School of B.Ed-204
Education (Health & Physical
Education)BGSB Uni.

-World Health organisation -

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 Prepared by Ms. Rafia Khan,School of B.Ed-204
Education (Health & Physical
Education)BGSB Uni.

Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of Malnutrition include:
Lack of appetite or interest in food or drink
Tiredness and irritability
Inability to concentrate
Always feeling cold
loss of fat, muscle mass, and body tissue
Higher risk of getting sick and taking longer to heal
longer healing time for wounds
Higher risk of complications after surgery
Depression
Reduced sex drive and problems with fertility
Breathing becomes difficult
Skin may become thin, dry, inelastic, pale, and cold
The cheeks appear hollow and the eyes sunken, as fat disappears from the face
Hair becomes dry and sparse, falling out easily
Eventually, there may be respiratory failure and heart failure, and the person may become unresponsive.
Total starvation can be fatal within 8 to 12 weeks

Children may show a lack of growth, and they may be tired and irritable. Behavioural and intellectual
development may be slow, possibly resulting in learning difficulties. Even with treatment, there can be long-term
effects on mental function, and digestive problems may persist. In some cases, these may be lifelong. Adults with
severe under nourishment that started during adulthood usually make a full recovery with treatment.

Causes:
Malnutrition is caused by a person not receiving enough nutrients, which stops the body functioning as it should.
In developing countries, this is often the result of lack of food.
Malnutrition can result from various environmental and medical conditions.
1) Low intake of food: This may be caused by symptoms of an illness, for example, dysphagia, when it is
difficult to swallow. Badly fitting dentures may contribute.
2) Mental health problems: Conditions such as depression, dementia, schizophrenia, anorexia nervosa, and
bulimia can lead to malnutrition.
3) Social and mobility problems: Some people cannot leave the house to buy food or find it physically
difficult to prepare meals. Those who live alone and are isolated are more at risk. Some people do not have
enough money to spend on food, and others have limited cooking skills.
4) Digestive disorders and stomach conditions: If the body does not absorb nutrients efficiently, even a
healthful diet may not prevent malnutrition. People with Chronic’s disease or ulcerative colitis may need to have
part of the small intestine removed to enable them to absorb nutrients. Celiac disease is a genetic disorder that
involves a gluten intolerance. It may result in damage to the lining of the intestines and poor food absorption.
Persistent diarrhea, vomiting, or both can lead to a loss of vital nutrients.
5) Alcoholism : Addiction to alcohol can lead to gastritis or damage to the pancreas. These can make it hard to
digest food, absorb certain vitamins, and produce hormones that regulate metabolism. Alcohol contains calories,
so the person may not feel hungry. They may not eat enough proper food to supply the body with essential
nutrients.
6) Lack of breastfeeding: Not breastfeeding, especially in the developing world, can lead to malnutrition in
infants and children. In addition to reducing infant death, breast milk feeding provides an important source of
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 Prepared by Ms. Rafia Khan,School of B.Ed-204
Education (Health & Physical
Education)BGSB Uni.
micronutrients, clinically proven to bolster the immune system of children, and provide long-term defences
against non-communicable and allergic diseases. Breastfeeding has also been shown to improve cognitive
abilities in children, with a strong correlation to individual educational achievements.
7) Health facilities : Another possible long-term solution would be to increase access to health facilities to rural
parts of the world. These facilities could monitor undernourished children, act as supplemental food distribution
centres, and provide education on dietary needs. These types of facilities have already proven very successful in
countries such as Peru and Ghana.

Prevention
As a lack of essential nutrients is one of the main causes of malnutrition, the best way to prevent the
condition is to eat a healthy, balanced diet.
For otherwise healthy people, a recommended diet would be a diet that contains foods from all the major
food groups. The four main food groups are:
 fruit and vegetables
 bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods
 milk and dairy foods meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein
 To prevent malnutrition, people need to consume a range of nutrients from a variety of food types.
 There should be a balanced intake of carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals, as well as
plenty of fluids, and especially water.
 People with ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, alcoholism, and other health issues will
receive appropriate treatment for their condition
 You can also help prevent malnutrition by eating a diet with a variety of foods that include enough
carbohydrates ,proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water.
 Treating malnutrition, on the other hand, often involves more individualized approaches.
 If you suspect that you or someone you know is undernourished, talk to a doctor as soon as possible.
 Proper Education to peoples regarding importance of Food
 Government projects to provide health food to infants and pregnant women ,
 Staple food should be available at very cheap rate
 Global public health and disease control measure.
 Use of modern agricultural techniques to increase the agricultural production.

Conclusion:
Malnutrition is a serious condition that happens when your diet does not contain the right amount of
nutrients. Malnutrition increases the risk of infection and infectious disease, and moderate malnutrition
weakens every part of the immune system. Malnutrition especially that affecting young children is one of
the principle public health problems in the developing world like India. It causes about half of child deaths
and is a major cause of morbidity in children. It has medical and social disorder rooted in poverty and
discrimination. It has economic ripple effect that hampers development .Effects of malnutrition in early
childhood can be devastating and permanent. Malnutrition affects billions of people worldwide. Some
populations have a high risk of developing certain types of malnutrition depending on their environment,
lifestyle and resources.

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 Prepared by Ms. Rafia Khan,School of B.Ed-204
Education (Health & Physical
Education)BGSB Uni.

Note: This material is meant to be a study material for the students of B.Ed. through
different sources on Internet .