Malnutrition is a condition where there is a deficiency of one or more nutrients from one's diet. The deficiency in nutrients may involve calories, protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, or minerals. The absence of enough nutrients is called undernutrition or undernourishment while the presence of too many nutrients is called overnutrition. Malnutrition generally refers to undernutrition where an individual does not get enough calories, protein, or micronutrients. Malnutrition can have the below signs or symptoms:
- slow recovery from wounds and illnesses
- a higher risk of infection
- a lack of appetite or interest in food or drink
- tiredness and irritability
- an inability to concentrate
- always feeling cold
- depression
- loss of muscle mass, fat, and body tissue
- longer healing time for wounds
- a higher risk of complications after surgery
Malnutrition can occur for various reasons;
- Low Intake of Food: This can happen for two reasons, either if an individual does not have enough food available to eat or if they have difficulty eating or absorbing nutrients.
- Mental health conditions like depression, dementia, etc.
- Digestive disorders and stomach conditions
- Alcohol use disorder
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that includes, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. The presence of these conditions develops blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels.
Risk factors of Metabolic Syndrome can be increased by the following factors;
- Age: the risk if this syndrome increases with age.
- Ethnicity
- Obesity
- Diabetes: a pregnant woman with diabetes is more likely to increase the risk of metabolic syndrome.
- Presence of other diseases: the risk of metabolic syndrome is higher if an individual has nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, etc.
