The first thing we are going to determine is that malnutrition is a juxtaposed word that is composed of two other clearly differentiated words:
-The noun evil, which derives from the Latin "malus", which is synonymous with "bad".
-The word nutrition, which also comes from Latin and is the result of the sum of two lexical components: the verb "nutrire", which can be translated as "nourish", or the suffix "-cion", which is used to indicate "action and effect."
Malnutrition is the condition that occurs as a result of an insufficient or inconvenient diet or as a result of a metabolic problem that prevents the correct processing of food . The concept refers to imbalances, excesses or deficiencies in the incorporation of nutrients into the body.
Among the words that function as synonyms for malnutrition are some such as malnutrition, hunger, starvation and even undernourishment.
Malnutrition encompasses two broad classes of conditions: overweight and malnutrition . In both cases, these are disorders derived from the diet that can cause strokes, heart disease, diabetes, developmental problems and even death.
Malnutrition is generally linked to a lack of economic resources . Many people do not have the means to access nutritious foods such as milk, legumes and fresh vegetables and fruits, while products with high levels of salt, sugar and fat are cheaper. This makes both overweight and malnutrition common in the lower classes.
In addition to the economic issue, malnutrition is influenced by social and cultural aspects . Whether out of habit or due to the influence of advertising , many human beings choose to acquire and eat foods that are unhealthy, eating an incorrect diet in terms of the nutrients that the body demands.
Among the main consequences of malnutrition we can highlight some such as these:
-The person suffers a notable loss of muscle mass. A loss that exceeds 40% can lead to serious damage to the physiological functions of the body.
-In the same way, we must not overlook that the immune system can suffer from infections of a certain severity.
-Likewise, someone who is malnourished may find that their heart, bones and other body organs are seriously affected. A good example of this is that they can suffer from certain major illnesses or ailments. In this way, for example, osteoporosis , heart failure and even vertebral fractures are promoted.
Among the symptoms that indicate that a person suffers from malnutrition are problems with swallowing, a feeling of dry mouth, a fairly poor state of the teeth...
To combat malnutrition, therefore, action must be taken on several fronts simultaneously. An essential action is to facilitate access to nutritious foods for the entire population , making them more economical and available in more markets, warehouses, stores, etc. On the other hand, education and awareness campaigns must be developed about the importance of having a healthy diet.