Malnutrition Basics Quiz

Malnutrition: A Global Health Concern

• Primary cause of malnutrition: Poverty, lack of access to nutritious food, war, and climate change are key contributors.
• Undernutrition: Refers to a state of insufficient nutrient intake, leading to deficiencies, stunted growth, and weakened immune systems.
• Overnutrition vs. Undernutrition: While undernutrition signifies insufficient nutrient intake, overnutrition involves excessive consumption of calories, leading to obesity and related health complications.
• Health consequences of malnutrition: Malnutrition significantly increases susceptibility to infections, weakens immune response, and can lead to chronic diseases later in life.
• Malnutrition: A complex issue: Malnutrition impacts both physical and cognitive development, and can perpetuate a cycle of poverty and ill-health.

Undernutrition

• Undernutrition occurs when the body lacks sufficient nutrients.
• There are three key conditions linked to undernutrition:

  Underweight

  • Underweight occurs when a person's body weight is too low for their age.

  Stunting

  • Stunting indicates a person's height is too low for their age.
  • Stunting is a consequence of prolonged undernutrition.

  Wasting

  • Wasting describes a person who is severely thin, but not necessarily short.
  • Wasting arises from recent food deprivation.

Test your knowledge on malnutrition with this quiz that explores its primary causes, distinctions between undernutrition and overnutrition, and health consequences. Understand the true statements regarding malnutrition to better grasp this important health issue.