User:Acdas1201/Malnutrition

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Malnutrition is a condition that results from eating a diet which does not supply a healthy amount of one or more nutrients. This includes diets that have too little nutrients or so many that the diet causes health problems. The nutrients involved can include calories, protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins or minerals. A lack of nutrients is called undernutrition, including stunting, wasting, and underweight while a surplus of nutrients cases overnutrition, including overweight and obesity. Malnutrition also can refer to micronutrient malnutrition, including a lack of or excess of important vitamins and minerals. Undernutrition occurs when an individual is not getting enough calories, protein, or micronutrients. If undernutrition occurs during pregnancy, or before two years of age, it may result in permanent problems with physical and mental development. Extreme undernutrition, known as starvation, chronic hunger, severe acute malnutrition (SAM) or moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) may have symptoms that include: a short height, thin body, very poor energy levels, and swollen legs and abdomen (edema). Those who are undernourished often get infections and are frequently cold. The symptoms of micronutrient deficiencies depend on the micronutrient that is lacking. Overnutrition can result from excess nutrient intake or low energy expenditure, and is linked to chronic non-communicable diseases.

Overnutrition caused by overeating is also a form of malnutrition. In the United States, more than half of all adults are now overweight—a condition that, like hunger, increases susceptibility to disease and disability, reduces worker productivity, and lowers life expectancy. Overeating is much more common in the United States, where for the majority of people, access to food is not an issue. Many parts of the world have access to a surplus of non-nutritious food, in addition to increased sedentary lifestyles. Yale psychologist Kelly Brownell calls this a "toxic food environment" where fat and sugar laden foods have taken precedence over healthy nutritious foods.

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