Malnutrition

When nutrition is consumed in excess or if it is imbalanced or not adequate, it is referred as Malnutrition. Malnutrition leads to nutritional disorders generally. World Health Organization takes all efforts to overcome malnutrition problem by providing improved nutrition. Micronutrients like proteins and minerals are provided at a lower cost by World Bank. Governments supply nutrition in the form of supplements. Famine relief model was developed by providing the needy with cash and vouchers rather than depending on world countries. This model reduces mass transport cost utilized for this purpose of dependency on other countries.

Effects of malnutrition

Following are effects of malnutrition.

• Mortality: Due to malnutrition, some children have low education achievements.
• Illness: It increases infectious and pathogenic diseases
• Psychology: It leads to mental impairment
• Cancer: Use of tobacco, environmental factors and lifestyles lead to cancer
• Metabolic syndrome: Malnutrition leads to insulin resistance and chronic inflammation, increased blood sugar etc.
• Hyponatremia: When an individual consumes more water without compensating salts like sodium and potassium, it results in Hyponatremia. This leads to weakness, unconsciousness, perplexity, headache, sleepiness, brain swelling and increased brain salinity

Causes of malnutrition

Malnutrition are caused by

• Poverty: Famine leads to malnutrition.
• Loss in agriculture production: Use of fertilizers lead to increased price of agriculture productivity. People living below the poverty line can not afford the farming productivity.  The present climatic conditions pose a continuous threat of production and nutritional supply for the demanding population.
• Dietary practice: Pathogenic and toxic food habits lead to malnutrition. Especially, infants fed with bottle-feeding instead of breastfeeding develop low immune system resistance.
• Economic prices of food: Lack of technology in our country tends us to depend on other  countries. Inadequate resources lead to malnutrition.
• Chronic illness: Infected food consumption
• Drought: Climatic threat called global warming may reduce the food availability.