Malnutrition Symptoms

By lizzie

Reviewed: dr. stavarache

Article Sources

Article Sources

• 1. 'Malnutrition.' World Health Organization, 15 April 2020, www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/malnutrition
• 2. Saunders, John and Trevor Smith. Malnutrition: Causes and Consequences. Clinical Medicine, vol. 10, no. 6, 2010, 624-627
• 3. 'Malnutrition Symptoms.' National Health Service UK, 7 Feb. 2020, www.nhs.uk/conditions/malnutrition/symptoms/

Medical Expert

More About Us

Malnutrition is a health issue that refers to nutrient and caloric intake, and it commonly indicates that an individual is not getting enough of either. One of the most well-known examples of deficiency-related malnutrition is undernutrition.²Saunders, John and Trevor Smith. Malnutrition: Causes and Consequences. Clinical Medicine, vol. 10, no. 6, 2010, 624-627

Malnutrition also refers to diet-related conditions, including heart disease and diabetes.¹‘Malnutrition.’ World Health Organization, 15 April 2020, www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/malnutrition Commonly, people with these conditions due to nutritional abnormalities or deficiencies are not being properly nourished even if they're eating regularly. Symptoms of malnutrition vary according to the reason for the deficiency and the health issues that may be exacerbating it.

Weight Loss

Weight loss is one of the more obvious symptoms of malnutrition. Practitioners determine the impact of this symptom with regard to intent. In other words, they must surmise whether the patient meant to lose weight or not.²Saunders, John and Trevor Smith. Malnutrition: Causes and Consequences. Clinical Medicine, vol. 10, no. 6, 2010, 624-627 Then, the anticipation of any future weight loss is also considered.²Saunders, John and Trevor Smith. Malnutrition: Causes and Consequences. Clinical Medicine, vol. 10, no. 6, 2010, 624-627

This helps practitioners understand how to manage this symptom and determine if it's associated with an underlying health condition.²Saunders, John and Trevor Smith. Malnutrition: Causes and Consequences. Clinical Medicine, vol. 10, no. 6, 2010, 624-627 It's not as simple as encouraging the individual to eat more. Depending on the reasons for the malnutrition, a greater degree of intervention, including medical care, may be necessary.