Tropical Diseases

Malnutrition is the underlying cause of death for about two million people annually, and the disease most commonly affects children under five and the elderly. As many as 40% of all children under five in developing areas have suffered from malnutrition.

The disease stems for eating inadequate amounts of food or eating foods without enough protein. Different syndromes reflect different types of food deficits. Kwashiorkor reflects a protein deficiency, and marasmus is caused by an energy deficiency linked to failure to consume enough carbohydrates and fats.

Signs of malnutrition are loss of energy, wasting of muscle, and loss of fat. The condition can result in severe anemia, coma, or heart failure. Treatment requires efforts to rehydrate the individual and to replace deficient eating patterns with adequate consumption of healthy food. Education of some families may help improve future eating patterns. Yet, because the condition most often occurs among impoverished families in areas with inadequate food availability, changing eating habits can be difficult or impossible.