What are the symptoms of malnutrition?

His malnutrition is a condition that can be distinguished by the naked eye in both adults and children; however it is important not to confuse the thinness with being malnourished. This condition occurs when our body lacks the vitamins, minerals and nutrients necessary to stay healthy and with an appropriate weight for our age and height, in more severe cases it can lead to major failures in our organs that seriously compromise our health and life. Here we explain in detail what the symptoms of malnutrition are.

Steps to follow:

1. Thinness does not necessarily imply malnutrition, although it is effectively measured by people”s BMI body mass index. The BMI is very simple to calculate with this formula, which consists of dividing the weight by the height in square meters.

2. People of normal weight have a BMI between 19 and 24.5. When a person has a body mass index between 18.5 and 17, it is considered that they could have mild malnutrition, while if it is 16 or less, it could be considered significant malnutrition. In these cases, it is important to improve the patient”s diet as soon as possible to ensure weight regain, and thus an improvement in health.

3. In addition to a low BMI, other symptoms of malnutrition are:

• Fatigue, tiredness and drowsiness, possibly caused by the anemia that people with malnutrition levels develop.
• Dry skin and hair due to lack of nutrients.
• Muscle weakness and weight below normal according to height and age.
• In the case of women, absence of menstruation due to lack of nutrients.
• Poor healing even in small lesions.
• Irritability, bad mood and depression derived from the lack of minerals.

4. The symptoms of malnutrition often also occur in patients with anorexia and eating disorders that prevent proper intake of vitamins and nutrients.

In any case, if a possible malnutrition is identified, it will be essential to visit a doctor in order to make the appropriate changes in diet to guarantee the patient”s health.

This article is merely informative, here we do not have the power to prescribe any medical treatment or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.