Nutrition disorders

Apart from diseases caused by harmful microbes, we can become ill in other ways. If we eat too much, or do not take enough exercise, we become fat or obese. A person who is obese is at risk from a number of serious diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and arthritis. If we eat too little, however, we become malnourished. Malnutrition also has serious effects.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition where your body does not make enough insulin or the insulin it makes does not work properly. Insulin is a hormone, made in the pancreas, which controls the level of glucose in the blood (sometimes called blood sugar level). People with diabetes could go on to develop serious health problems such as heart disease, blindness, and even limb amputation.

Heart disease

The heart has its own blood supply provided by a blood vessel called the coronary artery. Heart diseases happen when coronary arteries become blocked by a fatty substance called cholesterol. The blood supply to the heart may be restricted, causing a severe pain called angina, or cut off altogether, causing a heart attack.

Asthma

Asthma is a condition that affects the tubes carry air in and out of the lungs. The lining of these tubes becomes inflamed and very sensitive to things like pollen, pets, and even cold weather. This causes the tubes to become narrower and breathing becomes very difficult.

Arthritis

Arthritis is a condition where the lining of the joints in the body becomes inflamed. This lining usually protects our joints from impact during running or jumping. Excess body weight puts more pressure on the joints, making them inflamed. The inflammation causes the joint to swell and become very painful and stiff.


Vitamin and mineral deficiency


📝The different vitamins are known by letters-A, B, C, etc. Vitamin C, for example, is found in leafy vegetables such as spinach, and citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons. A disease called scurvy is caused by too little vitamin C. Scurvy causes bleeding gums, loose teeth, muscle weakness, and eventually, death.



📝▲ A disease called rickets affects bones, making them soft so they become bent and twisted. Vitamin D is needed for the uptake and use of calcium in the diet. If there is a shortage of calcium or vitamin D in diet, bones and teeth will not form properly. Vitamin D is present in fish oil. The body can also Vitamin D when it is exposed to sunlight. 



📝Iron is a mineral found in red meat, especially liver. It is needed to make haemoglobin. Haemoglobin gives red blood cells their colour and is essential for the transport of oxygen around the body. A deficiency of iron causes a disease called anaemia. A person affected with anaemia looks pale and feels weak and tired.

Protein deficiency



The most obvious signs of malnutrition are often caused by lack of protein in the diet. A disease caused by protein deficiency is kwashiorkor. A child with kwashiorkor may not have received enough of its mother's milk and may have been forced onto a high carbohydrate diet too early. As a result, the child receives enough energy food but does not develop physically or mentally. Kwashiorkor occurs commonly in areas of famine or where food is in short supply.