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.