How do you prevent malnutrition?

Malnutrition is a global problem. In both the developed world and the developing world, poverty and a lack of understanding of nutrition are the leading causes. We can help control the disease of malnutrition with better worldwide education and support for the disadvantaged, including access to clean water, nutritious whole foods and medicine. Children and elders who may not be able to advocate for themselves are especially at risk and may need closer attention paid to their diet and health condition.

The best way to prevent malnutrition is to eat a well-balanced diet with a variety of nutritious whole foods in it. If you have enough of all the nutrients your body needs, you will be less likely to overeat trying to satisfy those needs. Some micronutrient deficiencies are common even with a fairly standard diet. A blood test is one way to find out if you could benefit from micronutrient supplements. Your healthcare provider can help you determine the correct dose to take.

Outlook / Prognosis

What is the prognosis for people with malnutrition?

Malnutrition is treatable, but some effects can linger. Effects of severe undernutrition, such as blindness from vitamin A deficiency, soft bones from vitamin D deficiency and stunted growth from protein-energy undernutrition in children may not be reversible, even after rehabilitation. Secondary effects of long-term overnutrition, such as insulin resistance and carotid artery disease, may last even after weight loss. However, with earlier intervention and good follow-up support, people can make full recoveries.

How is malnutrition treated?

Undernutrition is treated with nutritional supplements. This might mean individual micronutrients, or it might mean refeeding with a custom, high-calorie nutritional formula designed to restore everything your body is missing. Severe undernutrition can take weeks of refeeding to correct. But refeeding can be dangerous, especially in the first few days. Your body changes in many ways to adapt to undernutrition. Refeeding asks it to change back to its old way of operating, and sometimes that change is more than it’s prepared to handle. It’s best to begin refeeding under close medical observation to prevent and manage the complications of refeeding syndrome, which can be serious and even life-threatening.

Overnutrition is generally treated with weight loss, diet and lifestyle changes. Losing extra weight can help reduce your risk of developing secondary conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Weight loss treatment may include diet and exercise plans, medications or medical procedures. You may also need to treat an underlying condition, such as thyroid disease, or a mental health disorder. Weight loss can be rapid or it can be long and gradual, depending on the path you take. But after you lose weight, it’s the lifestyle changes you stick with that will help keep it off. This may involve long-term support systems such as counseling, behavioral therapy, support groups and education in nutrition

What are the signs and symptoms of malnutrition?

Undernutrition may look like:

Low body weight, prominent bones, depleted fat and muscle.

Thin arms and legs with edema (swelling with fluid) in your belly and face.

Stunted growth and intellectual development in children.

Weakness, faintness and fatigue.

Irritability, apathy or inattention.

Dry, inelastic skin, rashes and lesions.

Brittle hair, hair loss and hair pigment loss.

Frequent and severe infections.

Low body temperature, unable to get warm.

Low heart rate and blood pressure.

Overnutrition might look like:

Obesity.

High blood pressure.

Insulin resistance.

Heart disease.