Nutritional Deficiency Diseases

Nutritional Diseases Malnutrition: Lack of essential nutrients; ie vitamins, minerals, amino acids Undernourishment: Lack of food energy (calories). WHO estimates that half of the world’s population is malnourished in some form Can you be overnourished and malnourished at the same time?

Diseases of Malnourishment Marasmus: progressive emaciation due to lack of protein & calories preventing growth. Cause of 49% of the 10.4 million deaths occurring in children younger than 5 years in developing countries. Kwashiorkor: lack of protein in diet, leading to failure of neural development. “the sickness the older child gets when the next baby is born” Characterized by bloated belly Chronic hunger: enough food to stay alive, but not be productive

Child w/Kwashiorkor Child w/Marasmus

Noma, Cancrum oris Cause: under/malnutrition Problem: secondary infection; mucous membranes become inflamed and develop ulcers, often in the mouth

Anemia Cause: iron deficiency, decrease in the number of RBCs Problem: fatigue, irritability, shortness of breath, constant headache

Beriberi Cause: lack of vitamin B1 (thiamine) Problem: heart and nervous system damage, muscle wasting, brain damage

Cretinism & Goiter Goiter Cretinism Causes: lack of iodine Causes: lack of iodine during pregnancy Problem: physical & mental retardation, stunted growth Goiter Causes: lack of iodine Problem: deafness, fatigue, weight gain, enlarged thyroid

Pellagra Cause: lack of niacin Problem: dermatitis, weakness, intestinal distress, neurologic manifestations, organ failure

Osteoporosis Cause: lack of calcium and/or vitamin D (prevents absorption of calcium) Problem: weak bones, fractures, decrease bone density

Rickets Cause: lack of vitamin D Problem: softening and weakening of bones from release of calcium from bones

Scurvy Cause: lack of vitamin C Problem: irritability, swelling and hemorrhage especially over long bones, death from hemorrhage and cardiac failure

Xerophthalmia Cause: vitamin A deficiency Problem: blindness

Zinc deficiency Cause: diet deficient in zinc Problem: poor wound healing, bone deformities, dwarfism, hyperpigmentation, fetal abnormalities, immune system failure