Nutritional Disorders Lecture Objectives

Overview of Malabsorption and Nutritional Deficiencies

• Malabsorption involves impaired digestion and absorption, caused by various factors such as infectious (e.g., Giardiasis), congenital (e.g., lactose intolerance), autoimmune (e.g., Crohn’s, Celiac), and surgical (e.g., colon cancer, gastric bypass).
• Common symptoms of malabsorption include diarrhea and weight loss.
• Chronic alcoholics are at risk of alcoholic malnutrition due to substituting alcohol for essential nutrients, which impairs digestion and absorption, leading to signs of malnutrition.
• Nutritional optic neuropathies can result from alcohol and tobacco abuse, causing B-12, B-1, and B-complex deficiencies and leading to symptoms such as impaired color vision and reduced immunity.
• Vitamin A deficiency can lead to impaired immunity, night blindness, and keratinization of mucous membranes, and can be addressed with supplements or injections.
• Vitamin toxicities, particularly fat-soluble vitamins like A, B-6, and E, can have adverse effects, such as teratogenicity, neurotoxicity, and coagulopathy.
• Trace minerals like chromium, copper, fluorine, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc play vital roles in various bodily functions and have specific food sources.
• Deficiencies in these trace minerals can have significant effects, such as impaired glucose tolerance, anemia, and impaired bone development, while toxicities can lead to conditions like Wilson disease, fluorosis, and hemochromatosis.
• Eating disorders have a lifetime incidence of 20 million women and 10 million men, with 50-80% having a family history of eating disorders, and are often comorbid with mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.
• Binge eating disorder affects 3-5% of women and 2% of men, and is comorbid with anxiety, depression, and substance abuse, with recurrent episodes and specific eating behaviors.
• Anorexia nervosa affects 1% of women and 0.3% of men, with a mortality rate of 5-20%, and is characterized by highly restrictive diet and excessive exercise.
• Both anorexia nervosa and bulimia can have severe consequences and require treatment such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and medication.

Overview of Malabsorption and Nutritional Deficiencies

• Malabsorption involves impaired digestion and absorption, caused by various factors such as infectious (e.g., Giardiasis), congenital (e.g., lactose intolerance), autoimmune (e.g., Crohn’s, Celiac), and surgical (e.g., colon cancer, gastric bypass).
• Common symptoms of malabsorption include diarrhea and weight loss.
• Chronic alcoholics are at risk of alcoholic malnutrition due to substituting alcohol for essential nutrients, which impairs digestion and absorption, leading to signs of malnutrition.
• Nutritional optic neuropathies can result from alcohol and tobacco abuse, causing B-12, B-1, and B-complex deficiencies and leading to symptoms such as impaired color vision and reduced immunity.
• Vitamin A deficiency can lead to impaired immunity, night blindness, and keratinization of mucous membranes, and can be addressed with supplements or injections.
• Vitamin toxicities, particularly fat-soluble vitamins like A, B-6, and E, can have adverse effects, such as teratogenicity, neurotoxicity, and coagulopathy.
• Trace minerals like chromium, copper, fluorine, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc play vital roles in various bodily functions and have specific food sources.
• Deficiencies in these trace minerals can have significant effects, such as impaired glucose tolerance, anemia, and impaired bone development, while toxicities can lead to conditions like Wilson disease, fluorosis, and hemochromatosis.
• Eating disorders have a lifetime incidence of 20 million women and 10 million men, with 50-80% having a family history of eating disorders, and are often comorbid with mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.
• Binge eating disorder affects 3-5% of women and 2% of men, and is comorbid with anxiety, depression, and substance abuse, with recurrent episodes and specific eating behaviors.
• Anorexia nervosa affects 1% of women and 0.3% of men, with a mortality rate of 5-20%, and is characterized by highly restrictive diet and excessive exercise.
• Both anorexia nervosa and bulimia can have severe consequences and require treatment such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and medication.