Consequences of Malnutrition I

What Are Some Possible Consequences of Malnutrition?

Esther Ivanoff

Mrs. Oamen and Mrs. Weiss

Biochemistry 11

June 5, 2020
 Consequences of Malnutrition 2

What Are Some Possible Consequences of Malnutrition?

Globally, 45 percent of the deaths of children under the age of five years old are related

to malnutrition (WHO, 2020). Even when childhood malnourishment does not result in death, the

children are impaired throughout their lifetime. In nursing homes, malnutrition was found in

1.5% to 66% of residents (Fyke, Frey & Nurmi, 2015). Children and the elderly are at a high risk

for becoming malnourished because they require additional nutrients and they may not receive

them (Fyke et al, 2015). Malnutrition may be present in all kinds of situations, but it is mainly a

problem in undeveloped and impoverished countries (Fyke et al, 2015). Malnutrition is a

condition that occurs when the body has an unbalanced amount of nutrients, vitamins, minerals,

and protein. This can be caused by overnutrition, undernutrition, the inability to absorb or digest

nutrients, or disease (Fyke et al, 2015). There are different types and severities of malnutrition

that may develop. The cause of malnourishment, whether it be undernutrition or disease etc., and

the nutritional state of the person determines the case of malnutrition that the person will have

(Haggerty & Cataldo, 2015). Malnutrition has life-altering affects that may or may not be

reversible, depending on the state and severity of the malnutrition. This research paper will

discuss the possible effects and consequences of malnutrition and will be guided by the

following questions:

1. What are some possible consequences of malnutrition?

2. How does malnutrition affect the way the body functions?

3. How does the body’s composition change because of malnutrition?

4. How does malnutrition affect a community of people?

Malnutrition worsens the quality of life of those who suffer from it and it causes irreversible

affects.
 Consequences of Malnutrition 3

How does malnutrition affect the way the body functions?

Malnutrition greatly effects a person’s immunity and susceptibility to infection and

disease. Microbiomes in the gastrointestinal system are affected by malnutrition and the

microbiota in childhood affects diseases and health in life (Forgie et al, 2020). According to

Forgie et al, diet and exposure to pathogens affects the “microbe-host functions” and it

contributes to malnutrition (Forgie et al, 2020). Nutrition and other environmental factors affect

the functional relationship between the microbiota and the host in the gut and this “influences the

host’s development,” health, and disease (Forgie et all, 2020). The body’s immune system shuts

down when it is malnourished because the body’s cells stop working properly and it cannot fight

disease. This results in the malnourished individual easily contracting disease and infection and

can lead to sickness and death (Carnagie &Bruno, 2009).

Malnutrition affects brain development and activity. On Barbados island, an experiment

was done using an electroencephalography to determine whether children had protein-energy

malnutrition in their early childhood. The study was performed on 108 children, ages 5-11 years

old, and properly nourished children were used as the control in the experiment. The children's

brain activity was examined using the electroencephalography monitoring and imaging method.

The results of the study showed that the children who previously had protein-energy malnutrition

had a decrease in alpha brain wave activity. This suggested a delay in their brain development.

They used these findings to determine and diagnose children who had protein-energy

malnutrition in their first years of life. Malnutrition mentally stunts children and it can affect

them throughout their life (McGovern, 2001). According to Carnagie and Bruno, adults and

children both “have mental dullness when they are malnourished” and have lower brain activity

(Carnegie &Bruno, 2009).

A malnourished person’s body uses its own nutrients and they lose energy. The body

needs nutrients, protein, and other substances to supply itself with energy (Fyke et al, 2015).

Starvation and malnourishment cause the body to use alternate and reserve energy sources

because it is not receiving nutrients to use as energy (Carnagie & Bruno, 2009). The body first

uses stored carbohydrates as energy until they are no longer available (Carnagie & Bruno, 2009).

It then uses stored fat and turns it into energy until the fat sources are also depleted (Carnagie &

Bruno, 2009). When there is no fat to be used, it uses its protein (Carnagie & Bruno, 2009). If the

fat and protein sources are not replenished by what a person eats, they may not have enough in

their body. This is a dangerous state for the body to be in because fat surrounds and protects

organs and protein is a vital component in the body (Carnagie & Bruno, 2009). Although using

carbohydrates, fat and protein as energy may keep a malnourished person alive, it results in the

body consuming itself and wasting away, while having very little energy (Carnagie & Bruno,

2009).

How does malnutrition affect a community of people?

The academic performance of children is affected by malnutrition. Children in

impoverished countries often do not receive enough food during the day and are poorly

nourished. This results in them having a disadvantage at school, causing illiteracy, and stunts

their physical and mental development (McGovern, 2001). In an article about the cost of hunger,

George McGovern stated that “schoolchildren were seriously handicapped from the lethargy and

drowsiness that resulted from malnutrition” (McGovern, 2001). The lack of nutrients in their diet

makes their bodies weak and leaves them with no energy for learning. In the Puno area, the

illiteracy rate was 90% before the US-assisted lunch program was set up there. However, when

the children in the schools received lunch from the lunch program, the attendance to the school
 Consequences of Malnutrition 5

almost doubled and the academic performance improved (McGovern, 2001). Malnourished

children cannot perform well academically because they have no energy for school.

Malnourishment is an increasing problem for the elderly and hospital patients. According

to Ettema et al, the malnutrition rate is up by 50% in elderly people, and malnutrition specifically

affects community-living elderly (Ettema et al, 2019). Elderly people are at a high risk for

malnutrition because of the fragile state of their bodies and their living conditions. Patients in

care homes or seniors who live by themselves may receive a diet that lacks nutrients that they

need. Malnourishment causes the elderly to have poor health and dampens their quality of life

(Gruber, Witte, Grosskreutz, & Prell, 2020). Some issues that result in malnutrition in the elderly

are disease, phycological problems, financial problems, difficulty eating, and lack of interest in

food (Ettema et al, 2019). Hospital patients may be malnourished because of their diet, their

condition, or other reasons. A study on malnutrition in hospital patients showed that 35% to 55%

of patients in a hospital were malnourished and 20% of these patients had severe cases of

malnutrition (Pierzak, Szczukiewicz-Markowska, & Głuszek, 2020). A patient’s nutrition status

prior to when they arrive at a hospital, along with how they are treated at the hospital, can put

them at risk of having malnutrition. A high percentage of elderly people and hospital patients

develop malnutrition and they have poor health because of it.

Malnutrition contributes to depression and cognitive impairment. According to Ettema et

al, malnutrition is related with depression and “lower cognitive and functional status” (Ettema et

al, 2019). Malnutrition affects the “emotional well-being” of those who suffer from it. (Gruber et

al, 2020). In many cases, a patient suffering from malnourishment needs to be treated for

depression and anxiety along with treatment for their malnourishment for their nutritional status

to stabilize (Gruber et al, 2020). A study on cognitive impairment assessed the relationship
 Consequences of Malnutrition 6

between the nutritional state, cognitive performance, and functional state of residential elderly.

Malnutrition was present in 42% of the patients that had severe cognitive impairment; the results

showed that there was a stong connection between the mental state and nutritional state of the

patients (Malara et al, 2014). Malnutrition contributes to cognitive loss and impairment and

causes depression.

How does the body’s composition change because of malnutrition?

Malnourished children have decreased growth and body fat. A study of malnutrition and

body composition examined children, ages one to six years old, from the Karen hill tribe in

Thailand. The children were studied and measured to determine their state of nutrition. The

results of the study showed that 85.5 % of the children were found to be malnourished “by using

a weight-for-age” measurement, 73% of the children were found to be malnourished by using a

“height-for- age” measurement, and 48.4% of the children were malnourished by using a

“weight-for-height" measurement (Tienboon & Wangpakapattanawong, 2007). The

malnourished children weighed less than they should have for their height and age and they were

shorter than they should have been for their weight and age. Malnourishment hinders the growth

of who it affects. The study on the children form the Karen hill tribe also showed that the boys

“had more total body fat mass” than the girls, and that all of the children had “low lean body

mass and fat mass” (Tienboon & Wangpakapattanawong, 2007). Malnourished children do not

have normal growth and have low body and fat mass (Tienboon & Wangpakapattanawong,

2007).

Malnutrition causes weight loss and an abnormal amount of body fat. People with

malnutrition may lose 10% to 20% of their body weight without trying to lose any weight

(Haggerty & Cataldo, 2015). People with Kwashiorkor, a type of protein-energy malnutrition,
 Consequences of Malnutrition 7

have “extremely thin arms and legs” and are very thin because they have an insufficient amount

of fat and weigh very little (Haggerty & Cataldo, 2015). Another type of malnutrition, called

Marasmus, causes the loss of all body fat and muscle. According to Haggerty and Cataldo, with

Marasmus the body “breaks down its tissue which leaves no fat or muscle on the body” and this

results in a “skeletal appearance” (Haggerty & Cataldo, 2015). A person with malnutrition has

low body fat and weight (Haggerty & Cataldo, 2015).

Malnutrition changes the body’s bone mass and density. Malnutrition alters “muscle

strength” and lowers “bone mass” (Rizzoli & Bonjour, 1999). Nutrition affects the “amount of

bone minerals [and protein] in bone tissue”, and malnourishment causes weakened bones and the

loss of bone mass (Andrews, 2019). During severe malnutrition and starvation, the body uses its

fat and protein reserves and other resources for energy (Carnagie & Bruno, 2009). This results in

the body’s tissue being broken down and leaves bones extremely weak (Haggerty & Cataldo,

2015). Malnutrition leads to the loss of bone and muscle tissue.

This paper discussed the possible consequences that malnutrition has on people.

Malnutrition negatively affects those who have it. Malnutrition changes the way the brain and

the body function. A malnourished persons' body is more susceptible to disease and the brain is

less developed than that of a healthy person. Also, the body has no energy and slowly wastes

away when it is malnourished. Its carbohydrate, fat, and protein supplies diminish until it has no

energy left. Consequently, malnourished children are affected for their entire lives because of the

impact malnutrition has on their brain and their body during their development. Elderly people

have a high risk of becoming malnourished and malnourishment causes mental impairment as

well as mental health problems. During malnutrition, body tissue is converted into energy and is

slowly used up, causing weight loss, bone and muscle loss, and development. Malnutrition is a
 Consequences of Malnutrition 8

condition that affects the entire world and has lasting consequences. Malnutrition is related to

diet and many cases of malnourishment around the world can be prevented with proper nutrition.
 Consequences of Malnutrition 9

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