Malnutrition can be defined as a physical
weakness caused by not eating enough food of the right kind. It can also be
described as a situation involving the state at which the human body lacks the
required food components known as ‘balanced diet’.
Malnutrition, which is a serious condition that occurs when a person’s
diet doesn’t contain the right amount of nutrients, simply means poor
nutrition, and can be referred to as ‘Under-nutrition’ when the carrier does
not possess enough nutrients or ‘Over-nutrition’ when the sufferer has more
nutrients than he/she requires.
Malnutrition is caused by having an inadequate diet or a problem absorbing nutrients from food. There are several reasons either of these conditions might occur to include having reduced mobility, a long-term health condition such as a chronic disease, or a low income. Malnutrition could be in form of kwashiorkor, anaemia, obesity, xerophthalmia, pellagra, among others, as the case may be.
Other medical conditions that can lead to malnutrition include:
v
A
condition that results to lack of appetite such as cancer, liver disease,
persistent pain or nausea.
v
A
mental health condition including depression, dementia, or schizophrenia, which
may affect one’s ability to look after him/herself.
v
A
condition that disrupts one’s body ability to digest food particles or absorb
nutrients such as dyspepsia or ulcerative colitis.
v
A
condition that makes swallowing difficult or painful such as dysphagia as well
as persistent vomiting or diarrhoea and eating disorder including anorexia
nervosa.
It is worth noting that, some kinds of medication can increase one’s
risk of developing malnutrition. Medical experts are of the opinion that over
two hundred and fifty (250) types of medicine are known to disrupt the body’s
ability to absorb as well as breakdown nutrients. One may also be at risk of
becoming malnourished if his/her body has an increased demand for energy – for
example, if it’s trying to heal itself after undergoing a major surgery or
having sustained a serious injury such as a burn, or if the body is
experiencing involuntary movements like tremor.
Physical factors can also contribute to malnutrition. For instance; if
one’s teeth are in a poor state, eating could be difficult or painful. One
might also lose his appetite as a result of losing his sense of smell and
taste. More so, one may be passing through a physical disability or other
impairment that makes it difficult for him/her to cook or shop for food. Social
factors that can contribute to malnutrition include: living alone and being
socially isolated, having limited knowledge about nutrition or cooking, and
alcohol/drug dependency.
The most common symptom of under-nutrition
is unintentional weight-loss. Other signs may include: weak muscles, low mood,
feeling tired all the time and an increased chances of contracting various
illnesses or infections. On the other hand, the main sign of over-nutrition is
being overweight or obese. However, persons living with under-nutrition can
also be overweight if they feed on a diet high in energy (calories) but low in
other nutrient. Signs of malnutrition in children can include failure to grow
at the expected rate coupled with behavioural changes such as appearing
unusually irritable, sluggish and/or anxious.
In the hospital or clinic, one can be diagnosed to be malnourished or
not, by calculating his/her Body Mass Index (BMI). Someone with a BMI that
falls within 18.5 to 24.9 is considered healthy. Thus, one with BMI either less
than or greater than the above stipulated range is considered malnourished.
It is worthy to note that malnutrition is a severe and deadly medical condition. Significantly, accordingly to the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), statistics show that about 10.9 million children under the age of five die in developing countries like Nigeria each year; survey indicates that malnutrition and other hunger-related diseases cause sixty percent (60%) of the said deaths. In addition, the cost of under-nutrition to national economic development in any of the affected countries is estimated at 20-30 billion US-dollars per annum.
Based on what made someone to become malnourished and how severe the
condition is, treatment may be carried out at home or in the hospital. Dietary
changes are the main treatment for malnutrition; if one is undernourished, he
might need to increase the nutritional content of his/her foods or diet, with
or without taking nutritional supplements. If the person in question is unable
to eat enough to meet his/her nutritional needs, he/she might need a feeding
tube to provide nutrients directly into the digestive system or a drip to
provide nutrients and fluids directly into the vein.
The best way to prevent malnutrition is to eat a healthy balanced diet.
Indeed, a healthy balanced diet is vital for maintaining good health and
fitness. To stay healthy, one needs to eat a variety of foods from the four
main food groups, namely: plenty of fruit and vegetables; plenty of bread,
rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods; some milk and dairy foods; and, some
meat, fish, eggs, beans, among other non-dairy sources of protein.
Considering the aforementioned likely causes of malnutrition, analysts
are of the view that the health anomaly could be fundamentally attributed to
illiteracy, ignorance or poverty, as the case may be. This implies that the
ongoing crusade regarding the eradication of all forms of malnutrition in the
contemporary Nigerian society requires the holistic effort of all and sundry
including the governments, health experts, civil society, the media,
non-governmental bodies as well as well-meaning individuals.
The government at all levels ought to endeavour to establish primary
health-care centres within the reach of the citizenry, especially the ordinary
people. And, must ensure that each of the health centres enjoys the services of
at least a qualified resident dietician. In the same vein, people should be
conscientized to visit the health centres situated at their respective
localities from time-to-time, in order to acquire the consequential or needed
counselling on dietary.
Furthermore, the civil society and NGOs that are concerned with health
matters are expected to intensify awareness on the possible causes of
malnutrition. It is advisable for them to regularly embark on a door-to-door
sensitization campaign and at all times endeavour to organize seminars cum
workshops with a view to bringing the less-privileged individuals closer to
health/dietary issues. This proposed measure can effectively and efficiently be
actualized by involving the mass media.
It is obvious that most people, particularly those residing at the rural
areas, are yet to understand the actual meaning of ‘balanced diet’ owing to
lack of education. This is where the informed minds or well-meaning Nigerians
are meant to come in; they should let their relatives, friends, well-wishers,
neighbours, and what have you, who are less-privileged information/education
wise, to acknowledge the fact that balanced diet can be obtained within their
places of residence such as their home gardens.
It is no longer news that most Nigerians are preoccupied with the notion
that balanced diet comprises ‘expensive’ foods that can only be acquired by
high-income earners; on this note, they should be meant to comprehend that they
can produce essential foods at their houses without any tangible or reasonable
capital. Besides, it is estimated that 684,000 child deaths worldwide could be
prevented by increasing access to vitamin A and zinc, which can be obtained
from vegetables.
The schools at all levels to
include primary, secondary and tertiary, on their part, ought to ensure that
teachings involving dietary are taken more seriously. In this regard, the
various tertiary institutions should introduce a General Studies (GS) course that
would educate the undergraduates mainly on issues concerning dietary and
agriculture in general. Such studies should be made to be mandatory and
ubiquitous by the federal government through the legislature. The measure ought
to be extended to the secondary and primary schools.
Above all, in our individual
capacities, we ought to note that malnutrition can easily be prevented if we
are continually mindful or conscious of whatever we eat, drink as well as our
lifestyles. Most importantly, we mustn’t fail to remain close to our health
counsellors or those who are more informed than us as regards dietary matters.
This approach alone would go a long way to keep us healthy at all times. Think
about it!
COMR FRED DOC NWAOZOR
(The Media Ambassador)Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research
& Career Development - Owerri
_____________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
+2348028608056 
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