Why do malnourished people have swollen stomachs?
To understand the reasoning for this, it is important to know that in malnourishment, the rounded abdomen is not due to fat accumulation. Instead, the water retention and fluid buildup in the body cause the abdomen to expand. This results in a bloated, distended stomach or abdominal area.
Does malnutrition cause swelling?
Kwashiorkor is a severe form of malnutrition. It’s most common in some developing regions where babies and children do not get enough protein or other essential nutrients in their diet. The main sign of kwashiorkor is too much fluid in the body’s tissues, which causes swelling under the skin (oedema).
How does malnutrition affect the digestive system?
For over a hundred years, doctors have known that a lack of protein in the diet or low levels of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, can lead to symptoms like diarrhoea, inflamed intestines and other immune system disorders, which weaken the body and can be fatal.
What causes hepatomegaly in kwashiorkor?
Periorbital and lower extremity edema are also present due to inadequate protein stores. Dermatitis with dry and peeling skin and hypopigmented hair can be a result of the protein malnutrition. In severe cases, hepatomegaly can occur due to decreased production of lipoprotein.
Why does malnutrition cause potbelly?
It can sometimes be the result of malnutrition (e.g. in children deprived of protein, a pot belly may develop due to the infiltration of fat into the liver; see kwashiorkor), but is more often due to overindulgence in food and alcohol, and poor abdominal muscle tone.
Why do malnourished children have distended stomachs?
Kwashiorkor is a type of severe malnutrition that is most common in children. It occurs due to a lack of protein in the diet, which affects the balance and distribution of fluids in the body and often leads to a swollen belly. Effective treatment can usually reverse many of the signs and symptoms of kwashiorkor.
Can malnutrition cause ascites?
Alterations in nutrient metabolism, nutritional requirements, and reduced dietary intakes are common in chronic liver disease (CLD). These result in malnutrition, sarcopenia, and exacerbate progression to decompensation and ascites.
What causes malnutrition in India?
One of the major causes for malnutrition in India is economic inequality. Due to the low social status of majority of the population, their diet often lacks in both quality and quantity. Women who suffer from malnutrition are less likely to have healthy babies.
What are the three main causes of malnutrition?
Causes of malnutrition include inappropriate dietary choices, a low income, difficulty obtaining food, and various physical and mental health conditions.
Why does malnutrition cause fatty liver?
Protein deficiency resulted in a reduction in plasma triglycerides and phospholipids, a rise in free fatty acids, and a fatty liver chiefly owing to accumulation of triglycerides associated with a reduction in hepatic phospholipids.
What is difference between marasmus and kwashiorkor?
Marasmus occurrence increases prior to age 1, whereas kwashiorkor occurrence increases after 18 months. It can be distinguished from kwashiorkor in that kwashiorkor is protein deficiency with adequate energy intake whereas marasmus is inadequate energy intake in all forms, including protein.
Is obesity a form of malnutrition?
Key facts. Malnutrition, in all its forms, includes undernutrition (wasting, stunting, underweight), inadequate vitamins or minerals, overweight, obesity, and resulting diet-related noncommunicable diseases. 1.9 billion adults are overweight or obese, while 462 million are underweight.
What are the causes of malnutrition in India?
India has one of the highest rates of child malnutrition. Poverty, diseases, low educational standards, and many other factors are responsible for the malnutrition problem in India. Thus, India needs an upgraded national nutrition policy to fight against malnutrition.
Where are the most malnourished children in India?
Of the 25 million wasted children, eight million are severely wasted or suffer from severe acute malnutrition like Rabina. India is home to one-third such children. Sixty per cent of them live in six states: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Such high prevalence of child malnutrition in India defies logic.
What kind of malnutrition causes a swollen abdomen?
This type of malnourishment is known as Protein-energy Malnutrition (PEM). Undernourished children can be subject to two primary PEMs – marasmus and kwashiorkor. However, it is the latter that leaves children with a swollen abdomen.
Who is the target group for malnutrition in India?
The Government of India had launched multiple schemes to address the problems of the high rate of malnutrition in India. The target group of this scheme is women and children below 6 years of age.