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| Nutritional Disorders |
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| For the healthy growth of the individual, a nourishing, well balanced diet is required. A diet has nutrients in the right proportion ensures proper growth and development of both body and mind. If the nutrients are inadequate or not in the right proportion nutritional disorders may occur. |
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| Protein energy malnutrition leads to two types of diseases. |
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 Marasmus |
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 Kwashiorkor |
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| This is due to protein deficiency and not food calories intake. In developing countries like India it is common in infants below one year of age. The causal factor may be due to early replacement of mother's milk by other foods of low protein and calorific value. This may happen if the mother has a second pregnancy when the older infant is still too young. |
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| Symptoms |
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 As the stored fats and tissue proteins are used up for the production of energy, the infant develops a shriveled look |
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 Ribs become prominent and limbs become very thin as the fat layer beneath the skin disappears |
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 Retarded physical and mental growth |
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 Severe diarrhoea and other digestive disorders |
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| A protein rich diet such as a combination of wheat, gram, peanut, soyabean and jaggery or a diet with animal protein like mutton, chicken and fish, will help the patient to return back to health. |
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| Children between 1-3 years of age must consume 1g protein/kg body weight. If they consume below this quantity they can suffer from this protein deficiency disease. |
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| Symptoms |
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 Growth is stunted, appetite is poor |
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 Stomach gets distended |
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 The eyes are bulging |
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 The patient develops match stick legs- legs become thin, long and curved |
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 Skin may become dark and start peeling off and hair may become dull and loose its lusture |
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| By including food rich in protein into the diet, the disease can be cured. Wheat, gram, peanut, soyabean and jaggery are recommended. |
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| Minerals are elements which are required by the body in small quantities along with food. They regulate various metabolic functions in our body. |
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| Iron deficiency causes Anaemia. Iron is required by the body to form the protein haemoglobin present in the red blood cells in our body. The main function of haemoglobin is to transport oxygen from the lungs to the various parts of the body. |
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| Symptoms |
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| Patients suffering from anaemia become pale, lose appetite and feel exhausted. |
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| Prevention / Control |
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| The diet should be supplemented with liver, egg, molasses, cereal, pulses, leafy vegetables, brinjal, apple, banana, and guava which are rich in iron. The daily requirement of iron is 25mg. Care should be taken to maintain this level by including vegetables and fruit rich in iron. |
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| Iodine deficiency leads to this disease. Iodine is essential for the body in very small quantities for the preparation of thyroid hormone thyroxine. |
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| Symptoms |
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| Iodine deficiency causes abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland which is a gland situated in the neck region. In childhood, iodine deficiency causes reduced thyroid functioning which results in retarded physical and mental growth. |
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| Prevention / Control |
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| The government has made it mandatory to iodise the salt consumed by the public. Besides sea food, green leafy vegetables etc are rich in iodine and if included generously in the diet will restore the normal functioning of the gland. |
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| Intra muscular infections of iodised oil, the base being the oil from poppy seeds is also found to be effective. Sodium iodate tablets are also found to be effective. |
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| Vitamins are organic compounds which are taken along with food in small quantities. They are essential for life as they are responsible for certain metabolic activities in the body. |
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| Vitamins are of two kinds: |
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 Water Soluble |
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 Fat soluble |
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| The following are some of the diseases caused by vitamin deficiency. |
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| Diseases caused by deficiency of fat soluble vitamins A and D. |
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| This disease is caused by vitamin A deficiency. |
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| Symptoms |
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| In a mild form this disease causes night blindness. i.e., difficulty to see in a dim light. In severe cases it may lead to permanent blindness. The symptoms are non functioning of lacrymal glands, dryness, Keratinisation of conjunctiva and cornea of the eyes. |
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| Prevention and Control |
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| Fish, cod liver oil, milk, butter, carrots, tomato, green leafy vegetables, papaya, guava, yellow fruits containing carotene and vegetables such as pumpkin are rich in vitamin A and if included in the diet will help prevent or control the disease. |
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| This disease is caused by vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is synthesized naturally in the presence of sunlight. |
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| Symptoms |
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| Deficiency of vitamin D leads to loss of Ca++ in the urine. Due to this, no Ca++ gets deposited in the bone. The result in deformities in the bones of the legs and ribs. This condition is called rickets and occurs in children. The patient has restricted movement of the limbs and the ribs get pigeon chested. A condition called knock knee may also occur. In adults vitamin D deficiency causeds osteomalcia. This disease occurs in people who live in conditions where there is no exposure to sunlight. |
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| Prevention / Control |
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| Cod liver oil, fish, milk are rich in vitamin D. If included in the diet, it prevents the disease and / or controls it. |
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