Nutritional deficiencies stem from a variety of factors related to both environmental circumstances and individual health conditions.
Environmental Factors
- Food Scarcity: Limited access to sufficient quantities of food, often due to poverty, natural disasters, or conflict, is a primary driver of malnutrition.
Disease Conditions
Malnutrition can arise as a result of several health-related issues:
- Eating Disorders: Conditions like anorexia nervosa lead to self-imposed starvation and severe nutritional deficits.
- Fasting: Prolonged periods without food intake deplete the body's nutrient stores.
- Swallowing Inability: Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), often due to stroke or neurological disorders, can hinder adequate food consumption.
- Persistent Vomiting: Chronic vomiting, seen in conditions like hyperemesis gravidarum or bulimia, prevents nutrient absorption.
- Impaired Digestion: Conditions affecting the digestive system, such as celiac disease or pancreatitis, can disrupt the breakdown of food and absorption of nutrients.
- Intestinal Malabsorption: Diseases like Crohn's disease or cystic fibrosis can impair the intestines' ability to absorb nutrients from food.
- Other Chronic Diseases: Various chronic illnesses, including cancer, HIV/AIDS, and chronic kidney disease, can increase nutrient requirements or impair nutrient absorption.
