NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES: A REVIEW

Abstract

Nutrients like proteins, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and lipids are required for the right function of our body. Nutritional deficiency disorders are a major problem faced by the world, millions of people in the world suffer from undernourishment. Deficiency occurs when the food we are consuming does not contain the required amount of nutrients or when our body is not being able to absorb nutrients due to some genetic disorders or other secondary reasons. Nutritional deficiency is considered as the ‘hidden hunger’ and a person can suffer from deficiency of vitamins, proteins, minerals, carbohydrates and fatty acids. This review describes the different types of nutritional deficiencies, their causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention. The deficiencies are mostly asymptomatic but in a long time can very adversely affect the body functions and impair the immune system and cause chronic illness and infections. The severity of symptoms and the treatment varies from person to person. Poverty and low health literacy are the most important reasons for the prevalence of nutritional deficiencies in the world. However, these deficiencies can be prevented by promoting health education among adults, encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle and providing nutritional and healthy food to the ones who do not have access to it. Nutrition campaigns, supplementation and genetic engineering of plants and food crops has decreased the pervasiveness of deficiency disorders.