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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.
Starvation is a severe deficiency in caloric energy intake, below the level needed to maintain an organism's life. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition.In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage [1] and eventually, death.
Compulsive overeating, or emotional eating, is "the tendency to eat in response to negative emotions". [18] Empirical studies have indicated that anxiety leads to decreased food consumption in people with normal weight and increased food consumption in the obese .
A related phenomenon, specific appetite, also known as specific hunger, is conceptually related to, but distinct from, hedonic hunger. Specific appetite is a drive to eat foods with specific flavors or other characteristics: in usage, specific appetite has put greater emphasis on an individual who adaptationally learns a particular appetite ...
In biology, homeostasis (British also homoeostasis; / h ɒ m i oʊ ˈ s t eɪ s ɪ s,-m i ə-/) is the state of steady internal physical and chemical conditions maintained by living systems. [1]
Overeating occurs when an individual consumes more calories in relation to the energy that is expended via physical activity or expelled via excretion, leading to weight gain and often obesity. Overeating is the defining characteristic of binge eating disorder. [1] Overeating can be a symptom of binge eating disorder or bulimia nervosa. [2] [1]
Appetite is the desire to eat food items, usually due to hunger. Appealing foods can stimulate appetite even when hunger is absent, although appetite can be greatly reduced by satiety. [1] Appetite exists in all higher life-forms, and serves to regulate adequate energy intake to maintain metabolic needs.
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).