Definition

1. Noun:
   • A state of poor nutrition: A physical condition resulting from a serious deficiency, excess, or imbalance in a person's intake of essential nutrients. This can be caused by an insufficient, excessive, or unbalanced diet, or by the body's inability to properly absorb the nutrients from food.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • Chronic malnutrition in early childhood can lead to stunted growth.
  • The refugee camp was dealing with widespread malnutrition among the children.
  • Some forms of malnutrition, like obesity, result from an excessive intake of certain nutrients.

Advanced Usage

• "Hidden malnutrition": Refers to micronutrient deficiencies (e.g., lack of vitamins or minerals) where a person may consume enough calories but not the necessary vitamins and minerals for health.
  • Iron deficiency is a common type of hidden malnutrition.

Variants and Related Words

• Malnourished (adj): Suffering from malnutrition.
  • The aid organization focused on helping malnourished infants.
• Undernutrition (n): A specific form of malnutrition caused by a deficiency in caloric or protein intake.
  • Undernutrition is a major component of the global malnutrition crisis.

Synonyms

• Undernourishment: The condition of not getting enough food or the right type of food for health and growth.
• Nutrient deficiency: A lack of a specific nutrient or nutrients.

Related Phrases

• "Suffer from malnutrition": To experience the condition of malnutrition.
  • Many in the region suffer from malnutrition due to poverty.
• "Combating malnutrition": The act of fighting against or working to eliminate malnutrition.
  • Combating malnutrition requires a multi-faceted public health approach.

Noun

1. a state of poor nutrition; can result from insufficient or excessive or unbalanced diet or from inability to absorb foods