David Zesati

UF 300
11/04/14
What are the Effects of Malnutrition in Children?
One of the largest problems that we are faced with today is world hunger. Every
day children are struggling to survive mainly in third world countries located in Asia.
Malnourished children could be at risk for not only short-term complications, but longterm complications as well. Some things that malnourished children can experience is
weight-loss, illnesses, skin deficiencies, and developmental delays. In the end, all of
these things could lead to death.
Malnutrition is A term used to refer to any condition in which the body does not
receive enough nutrients for proper function. Malnutrition may range from mild to severe
and life-threatening. It can be a result of starvation, in which a person has an
inadequate intake of calories, or it may be related to a deficiency of one particular
nutrient (for example, vitamin C deficiency). Malnutrition can also occur because a
person cannot properly digest or absorb nutrients from the food they consume, as may
occur with certain medical conditions. Malnutrition remains a significant global problem,
especially in developing countries (Medicine Net, 2012).
Malnourishment can greatly harm the childs immune system leaving them open
to infections and diseases such as Malaria, Measles, and Diarrheal disease, which are
some of the major diseases affecting children. Malaria is caused by a parasite called
Plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. In the human
body, the parasites multiply in the liver, and then infect red blood cells (World Health
Organization, 2014). If not treated, Malaria can be life threatening, because it stops the

blood flow to vital organs. Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus.
Measles causes a full body rash and portrays flu-like symptoms. Measles is one of the
leading causes of death among young children even though a safe and cost-effective
vaccine is available (World Health Organization, 2014). Finally, the third major infection
or disease that affects malnourished children is Diarrheal disease. Diarrheal disease is
the second leading cause of death in children under five years old, and is responsible
for killing around 760,000 children every year (World Health Organization, 2014).
Diarrheal disease starts with an infection within the intestines and it can be cause by the
child eating and or drinking contaminated substances. Most children that die from
Diarrheal disease actually die from dehydration and fluid loss. Most young children,
between the ages of three and five that are suffering from hunger experience roughly
two to three Diarrheal episodes a year. The more episodes children have the worst the
experience can get, which is why Diarrheal disease is amongst the leading cause of
death in malnourished children.
Within the first few years of a childs life, it can be very critical if they are not
receiving the right amount of nutrients. Malnutrition not only impacts growth in the short
term, but can also limit total bone growth (Orphan Nutrition, 2014). For children that are
living in third world countries, when they lose that growth opportunity, it is extremely
hard for them to get it back because they are constantly be deprived of food.
Malnutrition not only affects the growth in children, but can also affect the development
of their brains. It can cause children to have learning disabilities, memory deficiency,
and can also reduce problem solving abilities along with language development.

There are many other symptoms that can arise when a child is starved and
doesnt eat what the body needs. Their skin can become very dry and not be the full
color, their skin begins to turn pale. The children will begin to bruise more frequently, the
body will not be able to heal wounds as fast. If this continues on, it can be very
damaging for the child, whether its temporary or permanent damage. As the child gets
older his or her bones will begin to weaken, so they will experience more bones
breaking throughout their lifetime. Another symptom is swelling of the abdomen and
legs. The abdomen is swollen because of lack of strength of the muscles of the
abdomen. This causes the contents of the abdomen to bulge out making the abdomen
swollen. Legs are swollen due to edema. This is caused due to lack of vital nutrients.
These two symptoms are seen in children with severe malnutrition (News Medical,
2014). Also, children will begin to lose their hair at an earlier age and it will be harder
and harder for them to see at night. These are just some of the physical symptoms that
can be caused by malnutrition, there are many more that can be more damaging to
children.
Malnutrition is beginning to be a huge concern especially in third world countries
where world hunger is a huge issue. Many of these children are dying from infections
and diseases, having lifelong health issues, and not given the opportunity to survive and
live life. A world hunger fact states 13.1 percent of the worlds population is hungry.
Thats roughly 925 million people who go undernourished on a daily basis, consuming
less than the recommended 2,100 calories a day (Do Something). How are we just
letting this happen to our future, especially when the world produces enough food to
feed all seven billion people?

Bibliography

1. "Diarrhoeal Disease." WHO. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2014.

2. "Impact of Malnutrition on Health and Development." Impact of Malnutrition on
Health and Development. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2014.
3. "Malaria." WHO. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2014.
4. "Malnutrition." MedicineNet. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2014.
5. "Measles." WHO. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2014.
6. "Symptoms of Malnutrition." News-Medical.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2014.
7. "11 Facts About Global Hunger." Do Something. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2014.