Nutrition Disorders: Undernutrition Flashcards
What is the definition of malnutrition?
Malnutrition is a state characterized by a deficiency of nutrients, including energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals, which leads to measurable adverse effects on body composition, function, or clinical outcome. The focus in practice is often on assessing energy and protein intake.
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What does malnutrition encompass according to the World Health Organization (WHO)?
Malnutrition, in all its forms, includes undernutrition (wasting, stunting, underweight), inadequate intake of vitamins or minerals, overweight, obesity, and resulting diet-related noncommunicable diseases.
What are some statistics regarding the prevalence of malnutrition globally?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 462 million adults who are underweight globally. Additionally, 47 million children under the age of 5 are wasted, 14.3 million are severely wasted, and 144 million are stunted. Approximately 45% of deaths among children under 5 years of age are linked to undernutrition, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. At the same time, rates of childhood overweight and obesity are rising in these countries.
What are the impacts of the global burden of malnutrition?
The impacts of the global burden of malnutrition are serious and lasting, affecting individuals, their families, communities, and countries economically, socially, developmentally, and medically.
What is the prevalence of malnutrition in the UK?
Malnutrition affects approximately 3 million people in the UK. The prevalence varies across different settings, such as care homes (36% of residents aged over 65 and 24% of younger adults), the community/GP setting (10%), sheltered housing (18%), hospital outpatients (15%), hospital inpatients (25% of those under 65, 34% of those aged 65 and above, and 34% overall), adult mental health units (18% on admission), and children in hospitals (15%). Prevalence tends to increase with age.
What are some costs of malnutrition to individuals according to BAPEN (2015)?
The costs of malnutrition to individuals include increased dependency, more frequent GP visits, higher prescription costs, increased referrals, admissions, and readmissions to hospitals, and increased admissions to care homes. In secondary care, disease-related malnutrition can lead to complications such as wound infections, chest infections, pressure ulcers, prolonged hospital stays, and increased mortality.
What is the estimated cost of malnutrition to the economy of England in 2011-2012 according to BAPEN (2015)?
The estimated cost of malnutrition to the economy of England in 2011-2012 was £19.6 billion per year. This accounted for more than 15% of the total public expenditure on health and social care. Approximately 50% of this cost was associated with older people aged over 65 years. It is important to note that the estimated cost has increased by almost 50% compared to a 2007 report.
How is the cost of malnutrition expected to change in the future?
The cost of malnutrition is likely to increase due to the aging population and rising costs of health and social care. As the population ages, the prevalence of malnutrition and its associated costs are expected to rise, placing a greater burden on healthcare systems and the economy.
What are some consequences of undernutrition on health and recovery from illness?
Undernutrition has a wide range of consequences on various body systems. Some of these consequences include an increased risk of osteoporosis and rickets, reduced muscle mass and strength, inactivity and reduced ability to perform daily tasks such as working, shopping, cooking, and self-care, increased risk of pressure ulcers and blood clots due to inactivity, higher risk of falls, decreased ability to cough leading to a predisposition to chest infections and pneumonia, and impaired temperature regulation.
What are some practical signs or symptoms that may indicate undernutrition?
Some signs that may be noticed or reported in individuals experiencing undernutrition include loss of appetite or no interest in food, weight loss evident in changes in clothing fit, jewelry, dentures, or glasses, sunken cheeks and temples, persistent tiredness and low energy, inability to perform usual activities including walking, loss of interest in things and low mood, poor concentration, and poor growth in children.
Who is most at risk of malnutrition?
The following groups are particularly at risk of malnutrition: older people over the age of 65, individuals with long-term conditions such as diabetes, renal failure, or chronic lung disease, those with chronic progressive conditions like dementia or cancer, individuals with cancer and gastrointestinal conditions, and individuals who abuse drugs or alcohol.
What happens during starvation?
During starvation, the body utilizes its reserves of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Energy expenditure is reduced, and protein conservation mechanisms are activated. The body’s reaction to fasting depends on its energy reserves, the duration of starvation, and any additional stresses. Survival is rare after 3 months of starvation, a 40% loss of body weight, or a BMI below 10 in women and 11 in men.
What is stress starvation?
Stress starvation occurs in conjunction with metabolic stress, such as burns, trauma, sepsis, and critical illness. In these conditions, the normal adaptive responses seen in simple starvation, which conserve body protein, are overridden by the effects of neuroendocrine and cytokine responses to injury. Metabolic rate actually rises instead of falling, ketosis is minimal, protein breakdown accelerates to meet the demands for tissue repair and gluconeogenesis, and there may be hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance. Additionally, there is exacerbated salt and water retention, which can lead to edema and hypoalbuminemia.
What are the differences in metabolic rate between simple starvation and stress starvation?
In simple starvation, the metabolic rate decreases, while in stress starvation, the metabolic rate increases.
How does muscle protein breakdown differ between simple starvation and stress starvation?
In both simple starvation and stress starvation, muscle protein breakdown increases. However, in stress starvation, the increase in muscle protein breakdown is more pronounced.
