RISK FACTORS FOR MALNUTRITION CUHAS

DEFINITION The World Health Organization defines malnutrition as "the cellular imbalance between supply of nutrients & energy and the body's demand for them to ensure growth, maintenance, and specific functions”. Malnutrition comprises both; Under nutrition –the main public health concern in developing world Over nutrition

INTRODUCTION Hunger and inadequate nutrition contribute to early deaths for mothers, infants and young children, and impaired physical and brain development in the young. At the same time, growing rates of overweight and obesity worldwide are linked to a rise in chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes [WHO]

INTRODUCTION CONT.. About 104 million children worldwide in 2010 were underweight Under nutrition contributes to about one third of all child deaths. Stunting hinders the development of 171 million children under age 5 according to 2010 figures. 13 million children are born with low birth weight or prematurely due to maternal under nutrition and other factors [ WHO 2010]

INTRODUCTION CONT.. Lack of essential vitamins and minerals in the diet affects immunity and healthy development. Maternal under nutrition in many developing countries, leads to poor fetal development and higher risk of pregnancy complications. Maternal and child under nutrition account for more than 10 percent of the global burden of disease.

INTRODUCTION About 1.5 billion people were overweight worldwide, 1/3 of these are obese[2008] About 43 million children under age 5 were overweight in 2010 Worldwide, at least 2.6 million people die each year as a result of being overweight or obese

UNDER NUTRITION Under nutrition is depletion of energy (calories) resulting form insufficient food intake over an extended period of time. In extreme cases under-nutrition is called Starvation. While Famine is severe food shortage of a whole community. Specific Deficiency is the pathological state resulting form a deficiency of an individual nutrient such as vitamin A deficiency, iodine deficiency.

OVERNUTRITION Many tend to think malnutrition only in terms of hunger, however, overeating is also a contributing factor. “Over nutrition is the pathological state resulting from the consumption of excessive quantity of food over an extended period of time”. Overweight and obesity are very common conditions in developed society and are becoming more common in developing societies and those in transition.

CHRONIC UNDERNUTRITION TYPES OF UNDERNUTRITION UNDERNUTRITION ACUTE UNDERNUTRITION CHRONIC UNDERNUTRITION Marasmus kwashiorkor Marasmic -kwashiorkor Wasting Stunting Underweight

UNICEF Conceptual Framework of Malnutrition

PEOPLE AT RISK Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) occurs more commonly in three situations: In young children in poor communities, usually in developing countries. In adults, even in affluent countries, due to severe illness (hospital malnutrition). In people of all ages in a famine.

PEOPLE AT RISK Although the under nutrition affects all age groups; however the most vulnerable groups are pregnant women, lactating women and young children, mainly because they have a relatively greater nutritional requirements and are more susceptible to the harmful consequences of deficiencies. Under nutrition affects all age groups, but it is especially common among the poor and those with inadequate access to health education and to clean water and good sanitation.

RISK FACTORS FOR MALNUTRITION Literacy/level of education Family social economic factors Feeding and weaning practices Chronic infections like TB, HIV, Cancer Age/sex Security status Season/weather/geographical location