Introduction to the Problem

What is Malnutrition?

Malnutrition is one of the largest problems in the world, affecting more than half the population. To understand why this is happening, we must first examine what this problem is.

Malnutrition is defined by the Merck manual for medical information as being

"‘caused by an imbalance between the body’s need for and intake of essential nutrient."

The National Institutes of Health And U.S. National Library of Medicine defines malnutrition as:

" the condition that occurs when a person's body is not getting enough nutrients. The condition may result from an inadequate or unbalanced diet, digestive difficulties, absorption problems, or other medical conditions."

Malnutrition is truly a global pandemic that is experienced in every country. Despite breakthroughs in crop growing and harvesting and unprecedented global prosperity, malnutrition remains undoubtedly one of the most widespread and global medical disorders of the 21st century. Malnutrition has often been portrayed lopsidedly by the media as a condition that affects only third world countries because of poverty. In fact, malnutrition affects both developed and developing countries equally. It touches both rich, poor and those in between. The condition can be divided into two main groups’ under-nutrition and over-nutrition. In this section you will learn about the many factors that lead to malnutrition.

Diagnosing Malnutrition
In developed countries it is much easier to diagonise malnutrition. Often malnutrition will lead to health complications. Blood testing along with a consultation with a nutrionist can find the source of the problem which then can be alleviated. In developing countries it can be much harder to diagnose malnutrition. With poor medical infrastructure and poverty many opt not to visit the doctor but instead spend it on much needed food. In many instances entire communities will be malnourished and it is up to governments and organisations to come and rectify the problem.

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Nutrition and Health
To fully understand the problem that malnutrition poses, one has to first know what nutrition and good health is. Nutrition is consuming food and supplements which will help the body sustain itself. Good nutrition, is therefore consuming the correct balance of foods that will allow the body to best sustain itself. Why is this important in terms of malnutrition? Malnutrition occurs when adequate nutrition is ignored causing health problems. Below is a table of the many macronutrients neccesary to maintain good nutrition. Later there will be a table on the micronutrients neccesary to maintain good health.

Above: The pyramid above, describes what is neccesary for a balanced diet which will provide all the essential nutrients. Taken under public domain license from the united states deparment of agriculture - check under references

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Body Function and BMI:
Body function has a direct relation with malnutrition, if a person is malnourished then the body will not function properly. A lack of vital nutrients will put the body at risk of health problems.

Correct body function.
Correct body function is when a body is able to metabolize, absorb and transport nutrients so that the body works in peak condition. A person with good body function is able to absorb nutrients and have good health.

Incorrect body function.
Incorrect body function occurs when genetic or induced health problems prevent the body from absorbing, metabolizing or transporting nutrients properly. Instead there may be problems in one of these caused by a disorder, an example is celiac's disease when gluten cannot be absorbed. Incorrect body function if not compensated for can lead to malnutrition.

Body Mass Index (BMI)
A person's BMI is usually a good indication of whether a person is malnourished. BMI is calculated by this equation:

The healthy range of BMI scores is 18.5 to 25, when a person has a bmi below or above this can be a sign of malnutrition. A score of below 18.5 means a person is underweight and suggests undernutrition whereas a score of over 25 means a person is overweight and suggests overnutrition.

A BMI of 15 and under is almost a certain sign that a person is starving and one of over 30 is a sure sign someone is overconsuming.

A BMI is a good tool for predicting someones nutritional intake, however malnutrition should be properly diagnosed by a doctor because there are dozens of other factors which cannot be predicted by using BMI. Micronutrient nutrition for example can not be predicted by BMI at all, there is no way to tell if someone is suffering from iodine deficiency by simply looking at BMI.

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Developing world vs. Developed world
While malnutrition affects wealthy and poor alike, the way in which it affects them differs. In the developing world under-nutrition from protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency are the main concerns. In the developed world food is generally cheap and available to most of the population. It is over-nutrition from over consumption and micronutrient deficiencies from unbalanced diets that are of most concern. The factors which contribute to malnutrition in the two worlds also differ significantly. Corruption and weak governments which prevent production and distribution of food heavily affect developing countries whereas they are unheard of in developed countries. While it is a truly global problem, there are major differences in the way the problem manifests.

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