Malnutrition is a preventable problem that disproportionately affects children from poor families. It can cause impaired growth and reduced physical and mental development. Malnutrition includes both undernutrition, where essential nutrients are lacking, and overnutrition, where too many nutrients are consumed. Common signs of malnutrition include objective medical signs as well as subjective symptoms reported by patients. Micronutrient deficiencies occur when important vitamins and minerals are missing from the diet and can cause health problems, with deficiencies in vitamin A, iron, and iodine being particularly common.

1. Characteristics, Signs
and Symptoms of
Malnutrition and
Micronutrient
Deficiencies

2. Malnutrition is a man-made problem and it
is preventable. The latest national data show
that children born to the poorest mothers
are thrice as likely to suffer from impaired
growth. This means that we need to double
our efforts to ensure that nutrition-related
policies and programs reach the most
vulnerable or helpless

4. Essential Points in Malnutrition and
Micronutrient Deficiencies
Nutrition
Nutrition is the science that interprets the
nutrients and other substances in food in
relation to maintenance, growth,
reproduction, health and disease of an
organism.

5. Malnutrition
Malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses
or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy
and/or nutrients. Malnutrition at an early
age leads to reduce physical and mental
development during childhood. In any cases
of having malnutrition there are sign and
symptoms.

6. Signs and Symptoms
Sign is any objective evidence of a disease that can
be observed by others (for example a skin rash or
lump). Symptom is subjective, that is, apparent only
to the patient (for example back pain or fatigue).

7. The term malnutrition covers 2 broad
groups of conditions:
1. Over Nutrition - happens
when a person eats and gets
nutritional requirements beyond
the needed and ideal amount. It
is a medical condition in which a
person has too much body fat.

8. 2. Undernutrition - Under nutrition-
is a condition where in a person does
not eat or take the daily needed
nutrients and nutritional
requirements leading to disease and
deficiencies.

9. Micronutrients
Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that include
proteins, fats and carbohydrates that all humans need
to maintain strong bodies and mental sharpness, fight
off disease, and bear healthy children.
Vitamins are necessary for energy production, immune
function, blood clotting and other functions.
Meanwhile, minerals play an important role in growth,
bone health, fluid balance and several other processes.
Vitamin A, iron and iodine are the most common
micronutrients that Filipino diets are lacking.

10. Micronutrient Deficiencies
Micronutrient deficiency refers to deficiencies,
excesses or imbalances in a person’s intake of
energy and/or nutrients both vitamin deficiencies
and mineral deficiencies.
The most common micronutrient deficiencies not
only in our country but also in the whole world
are Vitamin A, iron deficiency anemia, and Iodine
deficiency disorders.