What is malnutrition?

Malnutrition is a condition that occurs when there is a lack of some vital nutrients in a person's diet. What leads to failure or deficiency in meeting the demands of the body leads to effects on growth, physical health, mood, behavior and other functions of the body. Malnutrition usually affects children and the elderly. Malnutrition also involves conditions in which the diet does not contain the right balance of nutrients. This may mean having a high calorie diet but with a lack of vitamins and minerals. This second group of individuals may be overweight or obese but still considered malnourished. Thus, malnourished individuals are not necessarily individuals who are thin. Who are most vulnerable to malnutrition? Malnutrition affects all age groups but is more common in developing countries and among children, older persons and pregnant women. In the United Kingdom, 2 million malnourished people were found in 2009 and 3 million people at risk of malnutrition were found. According to studies, a quarter of UK residents are malnourished. The risk is greater for older people over the age of 65, especially if they live in care facilities, those with long-term chronic diseases such as those in the liver or kidney, and those suffering from cancer or other debilitating diseases such as AIDS and those who They use drugs or alcohol. Malnutrition is common among low-income groups and displaced groups. Malnutrition is spreading throughout the world as the leading cause of illness and death, affecting large numbers of children and pregnant women. Malnutrition kills 300,000 people worldwide each year and is responsible for about half the deaths of young children and increases the risk of diarrheal diseases, malaria, measles and respiratory infections in children. According to the World Health Organization, by 2015 the prevalence of malnutrition worldwide will be 17.6%, and a large number of the population will suffer from malnutrition, especially in developing countries in South Asia, Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, 29% of malnourished people may suffer from developmental disability as a result.