Symptom

The symptoms arising from undernutrition may include one or more of these symptoms including stunted growth (low height for age), being underweight, wasting (low weight for height or getting thin from rapid loss of weight or failure to gain weight), loss of fat and muscle mass, dry hair, brittle hair, dry and scaly skin, thin papery skin, increasing susceptibility of infections, hollow cheeks, sunken eyes, irritability, weakness, lethargy, impaired cognitive ability, slow intellectual development, mental retardation, anaemia, weak bones, weak immunity and catching the infections frequently and in severe intensity.

WHO classification of malnutrition based on mid-arm circumference

Normal
13.5cm-16cm

Mild to moderate
12.5cm-13.4cm
Severe
Less than12.5cm

Causes

Primary malnutrition :-

• Failure of lactation of the infants.
• Improper weaning practices,
• poverty,
• food taboos,
• reduced space between child births,
• death of lactating mother,
• incompetent/ ignorant motherhood due to illiteracy or early child marriage.

Secondary malnutrition:-

• repeated attack of preventable illnesses due to lack of immunization,
• congenital diseases such as Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) or cleft palate, celiac disease, lactose intolerance, giardiasis, cystic fibrosis, inborn errors of metabolism, chronic renal failure, renal tubular acidosis and so on.
• Chronic infections such as tuberculosis which is common in India may also lead to malnutrition.

WHO classification of malnutrition based on mid-arm circumference

Normal: 13.5cm-16cm

Mild to moderate: 12.5cm-13.4cm

Severe: Less than12.5cm