Nutrition and Disease Overview

Nutritional Disease Overview

• Common causes of dietary insufficiency include poor diet, increased dietary needs, lack of knowledge about nutrition, poverty, chronic alcoholism, self-imposed diet restrictions, and medical conditions.
• Primary malnutrition arises from one or all dietary components being absent; secondary malnutrition occurs despite adequate intake due to malabsorption or increased loss.

Definitions of Malnutrition Types

• Marasmus: A form of severe malnutrition characterized by energy deficiency, where the body loses fat and muscle.
• Kwashiorkor: Typically results from protein deficiency despite adequate caloric intake, leading to edema and a distended abdomen.
• Cachexia: A complex syndrome consisting of severe body weight and muscle loss, often associated with chronic illnesses like cancer.

Vitamin Sources and Functions

• Vitamin A: Essential for vision, immune function, and skin health; deficiency can lead to night blindness and increased infection risk.
• Vitamin C: Important for immune defense, collagen synthesis, and antioxidant protection; deficiency can cause scurvy, resulting in bleeding gums and fatigue.
• Vitamin D: Crucial for calcium absorption and bone health; deficiency may lead to rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.

Obesity Insights

• Diagnosis and pathophysiology of obesity involve assessing body weight in relation to height and understanding metabolic changes that occur.
• Adverse clinical effects of obesity include an increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers.

Understanding Malnutrition

• A balanced diet must provide sufficient energy through carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, as well as essential amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.
• Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) are stored in the body, while water-soluble vitamins are excreted via urine and need regular replenishment.

Severe Acute Malnutrition

• Formerly referred to as protein-energy malnutrition, characterized by significant weight loss relative to height; regarded as a critical health issue requiring urgent intervention.

This quiz covers essential aspects of nutritional diseases, including common causes of dietary insufficiency and definitions of conditions like Marasmus, Kwashiorkor, and Cachexia. Additionally, it explores the sources, functions, and deficiency states of vital vitamins A, C, and D, along with their diagnosis and pathophysiology.