Concept of Malnutrition – This book covers the entire syllabus of “Nutrition and Dietetics” prescribed by BNMC-for all Diploma in Nursing Science and Midwifery students. We tried to accommodate latest information and topics. This book is examination friendly setup according to the teachers’ lectures and examination’s questions. At the end of the book previous university questions are given. We hope in touch with the book students’ knowledge will be upgraded and flourished. The unique way of presentation may make your reading of the book a pleasurable experience.
Concept of Malnutrition
Definition of Malnutrition:
It may be defined as pathological state resulting from a relative or absolute deficiency or excess of one or more essential nutrient.
or
[OTHER DEFINITIONS – NICE TO KNOW]
Malnutrition is an impairment of health resulting from a deficiency, excess or imbalance of nutrients. It includes under nutrition, which refers to a deficiency of calories and/or one or more essential nutrients and over nutrition which is an excess of one or more nutrients and usually of calories.
Types of Malnutrition:
1. Under nutrition: This is the condition which results when insufficient food is eaten over an extended period of time.
2. Over nutrition: This is the pathological state resulting from the consumption of excessive quantity of food over an extended period of time.
3. Imbalance: It is the pathological state resulting from a disproportion among essential nutrients with or without the absolute deficiency of any nutrient.
4. Specific deficiency: It is the pathological state resulting from a relative or absolute lack of an individual nutrient
Acute Malnutrition:
Acute malnutrition is a form of under-nutrition caused by a decrease in food consumption and/or illness that result in sudden weight loss or oedema (fluid retention).
Acute malnutrition can be moderate or severe, and prolonged malnutrition can cause stunted growth, otherwise known as stunting.
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