Malnutrition

Malnutrition happens when the food a person eats does not give them the nutrients they need to maintain good health.

Malnutrition commonly occurs when someone does not eat enough food (sub-nutrition). It can also occur if a person has a poor diet that gives them the wrong balance of the basic food groups.

It is possible for an obese person whose diet consists mainly of fast food to be malnourished because the type of food they eat lacks the nutrients that their body requires.

An inadequate diet can also lead to a person having a deficiency of one or more vitamins, minerals or other essential substances, which can lead to conditions such as scurvy.

Who is affected by malnutrition?

In the UK, it is estimated that at least two million people are affected by malnutrition.

Anyone can become malnourished if, over a prolonged period of time, they do not eat enough food, or if they have an unhealthy diet. The groups who are most at risk of malnutrition are:

• the elderly, particularly those who are in hospital or institutionalised,
• people with low incomes or who are socially isolated,
• people with chronic (long-term) disorders, for example eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, and
• people who are recovering from a serious illness or condition, particularly a condition that affects their ability to eat, such as a stroke.

Glossary

Obese

Obesity is when a person has an abnormally high amount of body fat.