Nutrition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Nutrition - Essay Example utrition, eating foods rich in carbohydrates and fats but not protein, having problems in gastrointestinal tract which inhibits absorption of protein or any other infection that somehow affects protein intake by the body. Sometimes weaning off early may also result in kwashiorkor since breast milk is composed largely of proteins and sudden removal causes protein deficiency. Kwashiorkor leads to swollen belly, fatigue, weight loss, retarded growth and susceptibility to other opportunistic infections. Marasmus is also caused by a deficiency of protein in diet. The causes therefore are very similar to those of kwashiorkor. However unlike Kwashiorkor Marasmus can occur even before the age of six months even when the baby is being breast fed. There is no collection of fluid in belly and on the contrary to kwashiorkor, a child suffering from marasmus would lose weight and appear thin. Both Marasmus and Kwashiorkor are common to the third world countries and are life threatening conditions. The treatment of these conditions needs to be done with care and constant monitoring of the diet that the patients take. Proper food programs and nourishment may herald a world without kwashiorkor and