Malnutrition is a major concern when it comes to human health. Not only do inadequate macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats create a lack of nutrition in people, but also vitamins and minerals available to the body in a lesser amount than required cause nutritional deficiencies. If not addressed in time, malnutrition leads to further complications and affects the healthy life of an individual, even communities.
Some causes of nutritional deficiencies include:
Under Intake of Food
Taking food less than the required amount stands as the most common cause of nutritional deficiencies. All food groups contain vital macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for the development and maintenance of the body and its functions. When these nutrients are out of proportion, it can result in different deficiencies.
Disease Relationship
Getting an acute or chronic condition can result in different pathological and immune-responsive conditions in the body, such as inflammation. This response results in decreased appetite and poor absorption of nutrients into the body. Some specific diseases further hinder the absorption and assimilation of important nutrients, such as hookworm disease, cancer, celiac disease, and other diseases of such kind.
Nutrient Interaction
Nutrients interact with one another and some outside compounds such as drugs that result in a decreased absorption of one nutrient. For example, caffeine decreases calcium absorption in the body. Also, double-positive minerals such as magnesium, copper, and iron compete with one another, forming chelates. What's more, phytate decreases the absorption of iron in the body, and so on. Some drugs also interfere with the absorption of nutrients in the body. For example, PPI inhibitors may reduce the absorption of important minerals in the body, so you need to make sure you keep in mind the timing of your medication.
Calorie Dense Food
People who tend to eat highly processed foods and super large meals at one time tend to develop nutritional deficiencies. It is because these are regarded as calorie-dense food and seldom include the nutrients proportionate to the calories they contain. What happens as a result is that people tend to digest too many calories at one time, which leaves them full. However, their nutrient requirements are not fulfilled. So, while eating a nutrient-dense bowl of salad will help to improve your nutrient supply, consuming a pack of potato chips will only make your tummy full.
Lack of Resources
People who live in the regions where access to fresh and healthy food is not easy tend to have more nutritional deficiencies than people who tend to live in areas where healthy food access is better. It is a big problem concerning food security and must be paid attention to to make sure access to food is made a reality. It is the responsibility of the government and food authorities to establish equity in this case. Furthermore, people must take kitchen gardening and other innovative ideas under consideration for better healthy food access to them.
Nutritional deficiencies have multidimensional causes, and every factor must be considered to address this problem.
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