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/KwashiorkorChild 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 & GoiterCretinism

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