Chapter 35, Problem 21A

Summary Introduction

To explain:

Factors that might cause an individual to be malnourished besides not having enough food.

Introduction:

Nutrition is defined as the process of taking and utilizing food for the building blocks, energy and to maintain body mass. Malnutrition is a state of insufficient quantity and poor quality of the nutrient intake, its absorption, and utilization in different tissues of a person. It can occur due to either deficiency or excessive protein, energy, macro- or micronutrients. A person with malnutrition experiences irritability, tiredness, depression, and inability to concentrate, being the most common effect and may cause various short- and long-term health problems ranging from acute to chronic.

Explanation of Solution

Malnutrition can occur due to various reasons other than not having enough food, including-

An unbalanced diet, presence of any digestive disorder, psychological problems, excessive alcohol consumption, stomach illness, mental health disorder, lack of breastfeeding, increased energy expenditure, and careless food processing techniques etcetera.

The clinical causes of malnutrition can be cancer, lack of breastfeeding, viral infections, or diarrhea that limits the body’s ability to absorb nutrients and calories in a sufficient amount.

Conclusion

The factors that cause malnutrition other than not having food are categorized into five major classes namely environmental, medical, social, psychological, and economical as given above.