disorders of nutrition
Undernutrition
Causes of Undernutrition
Undernutrition is caused by social, cultural, and political factors, including the following: Poverty War Civil unrest Overpopulation Unsafe housing conditions Infectious diseases Pandemics Urbanization Poverty is the leading cause of undernutrition in low-, middle-, and high-income countries. It is also the most common cause of food insecurity. In areas that do not have widespread food insecurity, undernutrition is usually far less common than overnutrition. Certain conditions increase the risk of undernutrition. These conditions (risk factors) include the following: Being unable to get food Being homeless Having mental health conditions Having a disorder that interferes with the consumption, processing (metabolism), or absorption of nutrients Having chronic diarrhea, causing loss of nutrients Being very ill (being ill may make people unable to eat enough food because they have lost their appetite or because their body’s need for nutrients is greatly increased) Taking certain medications or using certain substances, such as alcohol or illicit drugs Smoking Being young (infant, children, and adolescents are at risk of undernutrition because they are growing and thus need a lot of calories and nutrients) Being older People may be unable to get food because they cannot afford it, have no way to get to a store, or are physically unable to shop. In some parts of the world, food supplies are inadequate because of war, drought, flooding, or other factors. Some disorders, such as Overview of Malabsorption , interfere with the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Surgery that involves removing part of the digestive tract can have the same effect. Some disorders, such as Taking certain drugs may contribute to undernutrition. They may do the following: Decrease appetite: Examples are medications used to treat high blood pressure (such as diuretics), heart failure (such asdigoxin), or cancer (such ascisplatin). Cause nausea, which decreases appetite Increase metabolism (such as thyroxine andtheophylline) and thus increase the need for calories and nutrients Interfere with the absorption of certain nutrients in the intestine Drinking too much Alcohol Use , which has calories but little nutritional value, decreases the appetite. Because alcohol damages the liver, it can also interfere with the absorption and use of nutrients. Alcohol use disorder can cause deficiencies of magnesium, zinc, and certain vitamins, including thiamin. Also, stopping certain medications (such as antianxiety medications and antipsychotic medications) or stopping consumption of alcohol may lead to weight loss and/or undernutrition. Smoking dulls taste and smell, making food less appealing. Smoking also seems to cause other changes in the body that contribute to a low body weight. For example, smoking stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which increases the body’s use of energy. Some conditions greatly increase the number of calories needed. They include infections, injury, an overactive thyroid gland ( Hyperthyroidism ), extensive burns, and a long-lasting fever. In the United States, about 1 of 7 older adults who live in the community consume fewer than 1,000 calories a day—not enough for adequate nutrition. As many as half of older adults in hospitals and long-term care facilities do not consume enough calories. About 1 of 7 older adults who live in the community and as many as half of older adults in long-term care facilities have undernutrition. In older adults, many factors, including age-related changes in the body, work together to cause undernutrition (see sidebar). 