Diseases Caused by Improper Nutrition

A large amount of the total food stock of the world is wasted every day among developed nations, while over 850 million people sleep without eating enough in the under-developed areas and countries. There are numerous reasons for malnutrition, including economic and political reasons. Inequities in wealth and access to food supplies and medicine leads to the large surplus of food in some areas of the world, and large deficits in others.

Dietary deficiency is a major reason for diseases occurring around the globe. For examples, it was discovered several hundreds of years ago that European sailors during long voyages suffered from scurvy, resulting in soft gums, weakness of the body, skin sores, and other related conditions resulting from a deficiency of ascorbic acid or vitamin C. Over time, such diseases caused by improper nutrient intake have been reduced by the provision of cheap nutrition supplements for all people, especially in developing countries.

Rickets is a diseases caused by lack of vitamin D in the human body. This disease is mainly responsible for skeletal deformities and hunchbacks among children, as well as crooked legs. Sunlight is the biggest source of Vitamin D, though dairy products are also important sources of vitamin D (both naturally-occurring and artificially introduced). Most fish liver oils also contain a large amount of vitamin D.

Goiter is a disease caused as a result of deficiencies in iodine. A large, swollen neck is the main symptom of this disease. Women with goiter have a high risk of giving birth to physically and mentally ill children; these birth conditions are called cretinism. This has always been among the most serious problems of developing countries. In developed countries the number of patients affected by this disease is much less, as most people consume iodized salt and no external source of iodine is needed. Goiter is among the most common diseases caused by improper nutritional intake.

Pellagra is another disease that is caused as the result of dietary deficiency. The major symptoms of Pellagra are diarrhea, dermatitis, and dementia. These conditions are known as the “three D’s” of Pellagra – with the last and fourth “D” being death. Pellagra is the result of deficiency of vitamin B and niacin. During the course of the disease, the skin gets reddened and the body of the patient gets weak. Eventually, the skin becomes crusted and peeling. Consumption of foods such as meat, eggs, and green vegetables containing niacin will keep Pellagra at bay. These days, niacin is also artificially added to cereal products and flour in the United States many other countries. In most of the developed countries Pellagra has almost disappeared.

Severe anemia is caused mainly due to acute Iron deficiency. As a result of this deficiency and disease, loss of concentration, weakness and fatigue can occur among children, and it may lead to maternal mortality among pregnant women. Iron deficiency causes almost 20 to 40 percent of maternal deaths due to anemia around the world.

Please review other areas of Nutritionzing.com to understand more about your body, its nutrition requirements, and mechanisms to ensure a satisfied and healthy lifestyle through good diet.