Malnutrition occurs when the body does not get enough nutrients. This can mean not getting enough food in general, which can lead to starvation, or it can be a lack of a single nutrient, such as vitamin C deficiency, which can lead to scurvy. Causes of malnutrition include not having enough food to eat, not being able to eat a balanced diet, having medical problems that prevent food from being absorbed properly, or having psychological problems, such as anorexia nervosa.
Symptoms of malnutrition vary depending on the type of malnutrition and the severity of the problem. If an individual's malnutrition is mild, the person may not show any symptoms at all. General symptoms of this condition may include dizziness, tiredness, or weight loss. A person should contact a doctor when the individual experiences fainting or hair loss. In addition, a woman should contact her doctor if her menstrual cycle stops, and parents should contact a pediatrician if her child is not growing properly.
The problem is more difficult in areas of widespread poverty or famine. First, there may not be adequate food supplies. Second, people may not have the money to buy available food. Third, there may not be enough physicians and doctors available to treat not only the malnutrition, but also any underlying cause beyond lack of food that may be leading to this condition.
Getting proper nutrition is critical to growing children. Children can develop a condition called marasmus, where the child's growth is stunted and the child's body is thinner than it should be, if there is a severe lack of food available. Another condition that children can develop is called kwashiorkor. Kwashiorkor occurs when a child gets enough calories but not enough protein from eating. Symptoms of kwashiorkor include listlessness, failure to thrive, and an enlarged liver.
While the elderly do not need as much food as they did when they were younger, the elderly can be prone to developing malnutrition. Some older adults lose their sense of smell, which can make eating unappetizing. The elderly sometimes produce less stomach acid, which makes it harder to absorb nutrients. Also, it can be more physically difficult to prepare and eat healthy meals.
Treatments vary depending on the cause of the problem. For example, if the root cause is a medical condition, the medical condition must be diagnosed and treated before the person can recover. Not all symptoms of malnutrition can be "cured." For example, damage to bones and nerves cannot be reversed.