Type Of Malnutrition That Affects Individual’s Overall Development

A person not eating healthy or enriched ingredient food (proper amounts of micro nutrients - vitamins and minerals) is likely to affect its physical and mental ability. Indeed, it also results into some disease like physical disability, diminishing learning ability, mental retardation, and brain damage.

Malnutrition could be because of any reason like hunger, poverty, unhealthy diet, and more. Here is few type of malnutrition that is affecting many individuals, children, and generations to come-

Protein energy malnutrition- In this type, individual is lacking in amount of protein unit in their body. People all across the globe are facing this deficiency and are likely getting prey of anemia, scurvy, pellagra, beriberi and xeropthalmia and, ultimately, death. Two major type of protein malnutrition is kwashiorkor and marasmus. People suffering from marasmus are likely to lose tons of weight, while people suffering from kwashiorkor suffer from enlarged liver, swelling of the ankles and feet.

Iron deficiency- This is another type of malnutrition prevalent worldwide. Iron deficiency leads to tiredness and lethargy. This majorly affects 6 to 24 months of children in their cognitive development.

Vitamin A-Deficiency of Vitamin A weakens the immune systems and leads to the risk of diarrhea, measles, and malaria. About 20 to 24 percent of children population is affected by this deficiency. Millions of pregnant women getting affect by this deficiency leads to infant’s blindness.

Micro nutrients- Individuals lacking in micro nutrients such as calcium, iodine, selenium, iron, zinc, vitamin C, Vitamin B1 & D, and more suffer from various medical conditions like Rickets, Pellagra, Keshan disease etc.

Iodine deficiency-Millions of people are affected by the deficiency of iodine. Individuals lacking in this often face symptoms like swelling of the thyroid gland called goitre. Its adverse effect is on brain. Deficiency of iodine does not allow brain to develop properly, which leads to mental disability. According to researches, 20 million of children lacking with iodine unit in their body are mentally not fit. They often suffer from severe mental retardation and physical stunting.

Zinc deficiency-Lack of Zinc micro nutrient leads to growth failure and weakened immunity in children. Increased risk of this deficiency leads to diarrhoea and pneumonia, which results to many deaths.

In order to safeguard health and life of children end childhood hunger is the solution to it. This will help people of all age group to get proper nutrients that will help prevent them from diseases.