Malnutrition
What are the four types of malnutrition?
Macronutrient undernutrition, Micronutrient undernutrition, Macronutrient overnutrition, Micronutrient overnutrition
*macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, fats)
*micronutrients (vitamins and minerals)
What are the effects of malnutrition during pregnancy and infancy?
- Nutritional stunting causes poor cognition and educational performance
- Excessive weight gain later in childhood
- Increased risk of nutrition-related chronic diseases in adult life
- Increased morbidity and mortality
- Increased risk of infections and non-communicable diseases
- Insulin resistance and a higher risk of developing diabetes
- Hypertension
- Dyslipidaemia
What are the main causes of malnutrition in South Africa?
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies: commonly seen are iron, iodine, vitamin A, and zinc
What is the number of people who face food insecurity?
7.3 million Ukrainians (20% of the population) face moderate or severe food insecurity, including 1.2 million children, in 2024
According to Foodlink, what neighborhood in Rochester has the third-highest food insecurity rate in the state?
The 14605-zip code - the Upper Falls and Marketview Heights neighborhoods.
What happens to the body physically?
- deprives your body of energy to sustain itself
- begins breaking down its own tissues and shutting down its functions ( first body fat stores, and then proceeds to muscle, skin, hair, and nails)
- The immune system begins to shut down: highly prone to illness and infection, and slower to recover.
- Cardiac activity slows down
- Vitamin A deficiency can cause vision problems
- Vitamin D deficiency can cause soft bones
What are the effects of malnutrition during childhood?
- Difficulties with memory, attention, problem-solving, and language development.
- Emotional Distress: creates a constant state of stress and anxiety. They may become irritable and restless
- Can disrupt the delicate balance of brain chemistry, leading to an increased susceptibility to conditions like anxiety disorders, depression, and even schizophrenia
- Poor Self-esteem and Body Image Issues
- Impact a child’s social and interpersonal skills
- May struggle with social integration and forming healthy relationships with peers.
What are the factors that influence malnutrition in the region?
- The high prevalence of bacterial and parasitic diseases
- The political and economic situation
- The level of education and sanitation
- The season and climate conditions
- Lack of food production
- Cultural and religious food customs
- The existence and effectiveness of nutrition programs
- The availability and quality of health
- Food systems that fail to provide children with nutritious, safe, and accessible options
- Families unable to afford nutritious foods
- Parents’ inability to adopt and sustain positive child feeding practices.
- Lack of access to safe water and sanitation
- Housing can easily be damaged due to extreme weather, which can result in displacement
When was it declared that there was a food crisis?
First, following Russia’s 2014 occupation of Crimea and the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. It then worsened in February of 2022.
What are two major contributing factors that have caused food insecurity in the last 5 years?
The sudden rise in food inflation and the expiration of several COVID-era federal assistance programs (e.g., Child Tax Credits, Free School Meals, increased SNAP)
What are the signs and symptoms?
Undernutrition may look like:
Overnutrition might look like:
What are the effects of malnutrition during adolescence?
Entered late into puberty
Adults who experienced malnutrition as children may struggle with mental health issues, low self-esteem, and difficulties in establishing stable relationships and pursuing fulfilling careers.
How many people and children suffer from malnutrition?
- Increases the risk and severity of infections.
- It is the direct cause of about 300,000 deaths per year and is indirectly responsible for about half of all deaths in young children.
- 23 percent of children in South Africa are classified in that category and are at risk of life-threatening malnutrition and related health complications.
What are the coping strategies people have for food?
Having to switch to cheaper food and non-food items, reducing the quantity of food consumed, relying on savings if they have them, or selling assets when running out.
How many kids face poverty in New York, and what most common age range?
More than 1 out of 5 children (18.8%) under 18 lives in poverty. Poverty was recorded at its highest for ages 5 - 17
How is malnutrition diagnosed?
What is Physical observation and a history of your diet and health conditions
Further testing includes
- Measure your BMI
- Measure a child’s arm circumference
- Blood sample to test for specific micronutrient imbalances
What are the effects of malnutrition during adulthood?
- Depression, anxiety, or stress
- Serious implications for clinical outcome, for recovery from disease, trauma, and surgery, and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality both in acute and chronic disease
- Wound healing disorders
What is the tripple burdden?
Where undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies (like iron and vitamin deficiencies), and obesity coexist.
According to the United Nations, "The most recent estimates indicate that 144 million children under 5 suffer from stunting, and 47 million children under 5 suffer from wasting. At the same time, the number of overweight children continues to grow."
How do economics affect malnutrition?
Ukraine’s economy had a deep recession in 2022. The ongoing war continues to disrupt Ukraine’s economy and agrifood sector, as air and ground attacks on civilians and infrastructure hinder most forms of economic activity.
What percent of people face hunger but do not qualify for SNAP benefits due to income thresholds?
What is about 34% of people
What is the treatment protocol?
Undernutrition is treated with nutritional supplements.
- This might mean specific foods, or it might mean refeeding with a custom, high-calorie nutritional formula designed to restore everything your body is missing.
- Severe undernutrition can take weeks of refeeding to correct.
- It’s best to begin refeeding under close medical observation to prevent and manage the complications of refeeding syndrome, which can be serious and even life-threatening.
- long-term support systems such as counseling, behavioral therapy, support groups, and education in nutrition.
What are the effects of malnutrition on the Elderly?
- Dementia and delirium,
- Incontinence
- Fall risk
- Visual as well as hearing impairment
- Frailty
- Sarcopenia
Who is at greatest risk for long-term effects?
Children under the age of five are are the greatest risk - unable to access and consume a nutritious and diverse diet to sustain optimal growth and development in early childhood and beyond
What are the causes of farmland abandonment that lead to a significant decrease in food production?
- Widespread damage, including grain storage facilities and irrigation systems.
- The loss of agricultural machinery has disrupted supply chains and increased production costs. The total cropland decreased by approximately 7% due to damage and abandonment caused by the war.
Reasons for generational poverty that influence the continuation of malnutrition?
Economic disparities, housing instability, unemployment, under-employment, food insecurities, limited access to opportunities, impact on mental health, impact of structural racism, high cost of living, inflation, and drugs/substance abuse.