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Starved child in Somalia. Linked to 1 ⁄ 3 of all child deaths, malnutrition is especially dangerous for women and children. Malnourished women will usually have malnourished fetuses while they are pregnant, which can lead to physically and mentally stunted children, creating a cycle of malnutrition and underdevelopment.
Malnutrition occurs when an organism gets too few or too many nutrients, resulting in health problems. [11] [12] Specifically, it is a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients which adversely affects the body's tissues and form. [13] Malnutrition is a category of diseases that includes undernutrition and ...
Malnutrition in children is covered by multiple articles: Undernutrition in children; Childhood obesity This page was last edited on 29 ...
Stunted growth, also known as stunting or linear growth failure, is defined as impaired growth and development manifested by low height-for-age. [1] It is a manifestation of malnutrition (undernutrition) and can be caused by endogenous factors (such as chronic food insecurity) or exogenous factors (such as parasitic infection).
Protein–energy undernutrition (PEU), once called protein-energy malnutrition (PEM), is a form of malnutrition that is defined as a range of conditions arising from coincident lack of dietary protein and/or energy in varying proportions. The condition has mild, moderate, and severe degrees.
There are around 50 million children less than five years old who have protein-energy malnutrition. Of the malnourished children population in the world, 80% live in Asia, 15% in Africa, and 5% in Latin America. It is estimated that the prevalence of acute malnutrition in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States to be 6.1–14%.
Malnutrition is particularly common in low and middle-income countries and is the cause of significant morbidity and mortality in children. Risk factors for malnutrition in children include chronic poverty, food insecurity, inadequate maternal and fetal nutritional uptake, and underlying comorbidities.
Stunted children are more likely to develop obesity and chronic diseases upon reaching adulthood. [106] Therefore, malnutrition resulting in stunting can further worsen the obesity epidemic, especially in low and middle income countries. [106] This creates even new economic and social challenges for vulnerable impoverished groups. [106]