Nutrition in Health and Disease Flashcards
What is marasmus?
Undernourishment causing a child’s weight to be significantly low for their age
What is Kwashiorkor?
Sufficient calorie intake but insufficient protein consumption, resulting in oedema and an enlarged liver
(big bellies on undernourished kids)
Definition of malnutrition?
State of nutrition in which a deficiency, imbalance OR EXCESS of energy or other nutrients causes adverse effects on tissue / body form / body function and clinical outcome
How is BMI calculated?
BMI = Weight (kg) / (Height)^2 (m)
Weight in kgs over height in meters squared
What BMI is considered overweight? Obese? Underweight?
- Overweight = BMI > 25
- Obese = BMI > 30
- Underweight = BMI < 20
Which cancers is obesity most likely to predispose you to?
- Breast
- Bowel
What are some common health consequences of chronic obesity? (poorly worded)
- Hypertension
- CVS diseases
- Type II Diabetes Mellitus
- Fatty liver
- Cirrhosis
- NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis)
What is the tool used for screening for undernutrition? What does it base scores off of?
- MUST: Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool
Scores based off:
- BMI
- Weight Loss in last 3-6 months
- Presence of acute illness in patient
Max score of 2 for each category, score of 2 or higher suggest undernutrition risk
What groups are vulnerable to malnutrition?
- Illness
- Socially Isolated individuals
- Age
- Socially vulnerable groups
What are some of the clinical consequences of malnutrition?
- Impaired immune response
- Reduced muscle strength
- Impaired wound healing
- Impaired psycho-social function
- Impaired recovery
- Poorer clinical outcomes
What are some causes of malnutrition?
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Stroke
- Head and neck cancer / injury
- Intestinal failure
What is intestinal failure?
- Reduction in the functioning gut mass below the minimal amount necessary for adequate digestion and nutrient absorption
Common management options for undernourished individuals?
- Establish IV feeding
- Treat any associated illness
