Malnutrition
Malnutrition is caused by a lack of nutrients in your diet.
This is either due to an inadequate diet or problems absorbing nutrients from food.
Medical conditions that can lead to malnutrition include:
Some types of medication may increase your risk of developing malnutrition. More than 250 types of medicine are known to disrupt the bodys ability to absorb and then break down nutrients.
You may also be at risk of becoming malnourished if your body has an increased demand for energy for example, if it's trying to heal itself after major surgery, or a serious injury such as a burn , or if you experience involuntary movements, such as a tremor .
Physical factors can also contribute to malnutrition. For example:
Social situations that can contribute to malnutrition include:
In the UK, the most common causes of malnutrition in children are long-term health conditions that:
Examples of these types of conditions include childhood cancers, congenital heart disease , cystic fibrosis and cerebral palsy .
In the UK, malnutrition as a result of inadequate food intake is rare, although it may occur if a child is neglected, living in poverty or being abused. If you're concerned that a child may be at risk of neglect or abuse, call the NSPCC child protection helpline on 0808 800 5000.
Sometimes, children become malnourished because they avoid eating due to issues with their body image.
Malnutrition is a serious condition that occurs when a persons diet doesn't contain the right amount of nutrients.
The most common symptom of malnutrition is unplanned and unexplained weight loss.
Malnutrition is caused by a lack of nutrients which prevents the body functioning normally.
Several factors are taken into account to check whether someone is malnourished or at a high risk of malnutrition.
Treatment for malnutrition depends on the underlying cause and how severely malnourished you are.
The best way to ensure you get the correct amount of nutrients is to eat a healthy, balanced diet.