Malnutrition can be defined as a physical condition of a person in which he suffers from a disease, due to lack of nutrients, such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins. In short, the condition arising out of improper nutrition and unbalanced diet is called malnutrition. The main cause of improper nutrition and unbalanced diet is poverty. Malnutrition retards the physical and mental development of children. Some deficiency diseases can also be called as nutritional diseases.
Deficiency disease can be classified into the following categories:
1. Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM)
2. Vitamin deficiency diseases.
3. Protein Energy Malnutrition: Growing children need more protein. The children between the age group, 1-5 years are affected by protein malnutrition. Protein malnutrition leads to two types of diseases, namely Kwashiorkor and Marasmus. Kwashiorkar is caused due to deficiency of protein, which develops when mothers stop feeding the babies with their protein-rich breast milk.
