INADEQUATE FOOD INTAKE

Malnutrition is a major health issue in the world. Malnutrition is when someone is not eating enough or is underfeeding.

In Western societies, malnutrition is often linked to overeating, which accumulates health risks. Yet you can also find incidents of undernourishment, for example in the elderly.

Extreme diets excluding several food groups can lead to nutritional deficiencies. This is what is known as an imbalanced diet. If a food group is missing from or not sufficiently present in our diet, we also talk about malnutrition.

DEFICIENCIES

Iron is one of the most readily available elements in the world, but it is the one most often missing from people's diets. Two billion people suffer from a lack of iron.

Meat and fish are two good sources of iron. Vegetables sometimes contain good quantities of iron but it is less easy to absorb. Absorption of iron can be improved by eating food rich in vitamin C at the same time. A lack of iron can be caused by intestinal parasites, loss of blood or higher requirements during growth. If diet is not sufficient alone, you can also make up for this lack of iron with dietary supplements.

Malnutrition due to undernourishment is a major problem in some parts of the world, where most of the population suffers from various severe deficiencies. This state often damages physical and cerebral development in children and, in some cases, contributes to premature deaths in babies and infants.