Chronic malnutrition is the persistent lack of access to necessary vitamins and minerals in early childhood, leading to health problems later in life, even if the patient later receives adequate nutrition. Between the ages of eight and 20 months, children are especially vulnerable and can develop chronic malnutrition if their dietary needs are not met. Worldwide, several organizations work on issues of hunger and malnutrition in children, developing intervention programs to bring nutrition to developing children.
Undernourished people are not necessarily at risk of starvation. Chronically malnourished individuals tend to develop more slowly and may remain physically small, even as adults. In addition, they may exhibit telltale signs of poor nutrition, such as losing their hair, having scaly or brittle nails, and being physically weak. Additionally, chronic malnutrition puts people at risk for cognitive disabilities caused by not eating enough while their brains are growing.
Nutrition is not simply about the amount of food people eat, but also about the quality. Chronically malnourished people are sometimes overweight as a result of their diets, but still do not receive the balance of vitamins and nutrients they need to survive. A major concern with developing children is that as they are weaned off breast milk, a food with a rich variety of vitamins and minerals, they may develop malnutrition while eating soft and solid foods.
Fighting chronic malnutrition involves a number of approaches including fortifying foods, providing nutrition education in poor communities, and offering food aid grants and other assistance. Communities with a history of malnutrition problems can be offered additional interventions with the aim of detecting and treating malnutrition as early as possible. This may include educating doctors and nurses in community health clinics on how to treat malnourished patients.
Adults can also experience prolonged periods of malnutrition, but it is not as dangerous as it is in developing children. Fully grown adults are not at risk for developmental delays caused by malnutrition, although not having access to a balanced diet can cause quality-of-life issues such as fatigue and cognitive deficits. Malnutrition in pregnant and lactating women is a particular cause for concern as it can have a negative impact on the developing child. Children who were malnourished in utero or during infancy can never fully recover, even with nutritional intervention.