Nutritional Disirders In Adolescence And Childhood Flashcards
What is nutrition?
The intake of food necessary for the body’s dietary needs especially in growing children and adolescents.
• Good health is a combination of a well-balanced diet and regular physical activity.
Explain the effect of nutrition in children
• Strong hair : Protein, Vitamin D and Omega -3 fatty acids
• Beneficial for vision: Omega- 3 fatty acids, Lutein, zinc and vitamin C
and E
- Maintain healthy muscle mass: Protein, cholesterol, zinc, B vitamins and iron
- Protect against free radicals: Antioxidants such as beta- carotene and vitamins C, E and A
- Protects the skin from the effects of toxins: Omega- 3 fatty acids
- Build and maintain strong bones and teeth: Calcium
- Beneficial for the digestive system: Fiber, fruits and vegetables
What are the nutritional challenges in childhood?
Feeding development and behavioral:
• Self-feeding : toddlers play with food
• Picky eaters : resistant to trying new foods
• Food Restriction because of body image in adolescence • Overindulgence in Fast food
Socio-economical and pathological(Secondary)
• Eating environment: Meals without distractions
• Low economic status or orphaned/ homeless children • Diabetes, Cystic Fibrosis or Malabsorption Syndrome
Malnutrition may result from…
Undernutrition
– Insufficient intake of food
or of certain nutrients
– inability of the body to
absorb and use nutrients
Over nutrition
Overconsumption of certain foods
Whaat are the clinical effects of malnutrition?
Psychology- depression & apathy
Immunity-increased risk of infection
Decreased cardiac output
Loss of strength
Hypothermia
Renal function-loss of ability to excrete Na & H2O
Anorexia
Impaired gut integrity and immunity
Impaired wound healing
Liver fatty change, functional decline necrosis, fibrosis
Ventilation-loss of muscle & hypoxic responses
What is the viscous cycle of immunity and malnutrition?
Malnutrition impairs the development and function of the immune system. This leads to suboptimal immune responses that are also associated with a generalized increase in inflammatory mediators.
- A deficient immune system can contribute to the tissue damage by enteric infection and it also impairs tissue repair mechanisms so that infections tend to be more severe and of longer duration.
- Deficiencies of vitamin A and zinc are associated with persistent diarrhea which compromises the intestinal lining which leads to recurrent infection.
What are the most common types of wasting & stunting?
WASTING
The acute loss of weight, or failure to gain weight at the expected rate, resulting in a condition of reduced weight for height
STUNTING
The child is short for his age
Commonly seen in chronic malnutrition
What is cachexia?
is a hypercatabolic state and a chronic inflammatory response
which leads to illness-induced loss of body weight in an individual who
has access to food and is not trying to loose weight.
What are the causes of cachexia?
Causes:
- Cancer
- Infection
- Immunodeficiency
- COPD
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
In contrast to simple starvation, which is characterized by a caloric deficiency that can be reversed with appropriate feeding, cachexia is not reversed by the supplementation
of calories.
What is Protein energy malnutrition?
Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM), also called protein-energy undernutrition (PEU), is a result of energy deficit due to deficiency of macronutrients. It commonly includes deficiencies of some micronutrients.
PEM can be subdivided into?
PEM can be subdivided into:
• Marasmus
• Kwashiorkor
-Marasmic-kwashiorkor.
What are the symptoms of Marasmus (wasting syndrome)?
- Low weight for height
- Wasting of muscle mass leading to decrease mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC)
- Depletion of body fat stores
- Malnutrition without edema
- Gradual onset (months to years)
- Low Calorie intake
Explain the biochemistry of Marasmus
Low protein-caloric intake leads to adequate response of adrenal cortex
- Causes muscle breakdown, protein used for substrate for gluconeogenesis, releases glucose for brain and RBC
- Increases cortisol in plasma, this leads to low fat storage and both of these contribute to normal free fatty acid and allows no fat deposits in liver
- Decrease in insulin-like growth hormone causing growth retardation
How can an adaptation be seen in children for Marasmus?
Children adapt to energy deficiency with:
• decrease in physical activity,
• lethargy,
• decrease in basal energy metabolism, slowing of growth, and finally weight loss.
The overall metabolic adaptations that occur during marasmus are similar to those in starvation.
What is Kwashikor (Edematous malnutrition)?
- Significant protein deprivation despite of adequate energy intake
- Affects mainly children
- Symmetrical Peripheral Pitting Edema
- Thin, dry, peeling skin with areas of hyperkeratosis and hyperpigmentation • Dry, dull, hypopigmented hair which often leads to hair loss.
- Distended abdomen with dilated bowels
- Bradycardia, Hypotension and Hypothermia
Give a general between difference kwashikor and Marasmus
Kwashikor- irritable when picked up, apathetic when left alone
Appetite is poor
Marasmus- alert and irritable
-appaetite is good
What is Marasmus-Kwashikor?
This severe protein-calorie malnutrition is characterized by:
• extreme weight loss (wasting)
• weakness, and
• bilateral pitting edema