Diseases caused by Malnutrition

Due to deficiency of nutrients or their improper proportion in our diet, various diseases and malfunctioning occur, this is called malnutrition.

Marasmus:

If children between five months to five years of age suffer from the deficiency of both carbohydrate and protein for a long time, their muscles are wasted and they become skinny, which is called marasmus. It is a deadly disease, which is not quickly cured if not treated in time. The factors that may lead to marasmus are poverty, illiteracy, ignorance and famine. We should emphasize on preventing this disease rather than curing after its onset.

Prevention measure:

• Only breastfeeding should be done until 6 month in the newborn baby. After six-months, baby should be fed with additional nutrients like sarbotam pitho, fruits juice, rice, pulse and other soft food.
• Different communicable diseases should be cured in time.
• The child should be immunized in time.
• Everyone should be aware of diseases.

Kwashiorkor:

Retardation of physical growth is the major symptom of kwashiorkor. Due to the deficiency of protein in the body for a long time, symptoms such as retention of water in the muscles and the stomach appear and swelling like appearance is seen. Poverty, ignorance of protein consumption and frequent childbirth are its major causes.

For prevention measure, protein-rich foods such as beans, peas, groundnuts, meat, sour milk and eggs are all important for a child because they build and repair the body.

Goitre:

The human hormone thyroxine is responsible for the growth and development of the body. It is produced by the thyroid gland in the body. The hormone, thyroxin, requires iodine for its formation. The thyroid gland cannot produce thyroxin efficiently if our body is deficient in iodine. This is mostly prevailed in our hilly region. Iodized salt should be consumed to prevent from Goiter.

Anemia:

The red blood cells which carry oxygen to various organs, the decline in number and the body suffers from anemia. Iron is essential for the manufacture of red blood cell. If iron is deficient in the body the rate of the formation of red blood cells, which carry nutrients and oxygen to various organs, declines in number, human body suffers from the disease called anemia. To prevent this disease, one must take food containing iron regularly such as green vegetables.

Prevention measure:

• Food containing vitamin C and iron such as green vegetable, beans, fish, meat, eggs, fruits etc. should be taken.
• Nearby doctor or health post should be visited if needed.

Night blindness:

If our food lacks vitamin 'A', it leads to night blindness. People from communities where yellow fruits like banana, guava, as well as green vegetables, are rarely consumed for a long period suffer from night blindness. Children between 5 to 7 years of age, women who have just given birth to a child and breastfeeding mothers are more prone to this disease.

Prevention measure:

• Food containing vitamin A should be fed to children.
• Eyes should be provided with care and protection.
• Green vegetables, yellow fruits, milk, curd, eggs etc should be consumed.
• Breastfeeding babies up to 2 continuous years
• Vitamin A capsule should be given to babies every six months.

Scurvy:

The defects or problems that occur in our body due to lack of ascorbic acid are collectively called scurvy. The symptoms of this disease include persistent cough and cold, long recovery time for cold, bleeding from the gums, weak immune system, slow recovery from wounds and roughness of the skin. Green vegetables, as well as citrus fruits such as orange, lemon, amla, nibuwa, and bhogate, help protect us from scurvy.

Prevention measure:

• Keep the body clean and healthy.
• Vitamin C food should be taken every day like amala, orange guava etc.
• Keep teeth and mouth clean every day.
• Seek help from doctors in need.

Rickets:

If children suffer from rickets, their long bones of chests and legs become soft and weak, as they become unable to bear the weight of their bodies. This results in bent legs and a barrel shaped chest in children. In such condition, children are unable to grow and appears lean and thin. People who do not regularly consume sources of vitamin 'D' such as the sunlight, fish, meat, milk, and eggs suffer from this disease.

Wasting:

The body cannot absorb calcium and phosphorous if there is lack of vitamin 'D' in the body. Therefore the bones and teeth cannot grow, which is said to be wasting. This results in bent legs, a barrel shaped chest and change in shape of the forehead etc.

Prevention measure:

• The yellow part of the egg, fish oil, milk, butter, etc which provide vitamin 'D' should be taken.
• Food containing calcium and phosphorous like beans, milk, the green leafy vegetable should be taken.
• Sunbath should be taken in the morning and evening because it contains vitamin D.
• Nearby doctor or health post should be visited if needed.