Facts on File Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

nutritional deficiency Inadequate consumption
of one or more key NUTRIENTS. Gastrointestinal dis-
orders of MALABSORPTION, such as CELIAC DISEASE
and INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE(IBD), also cause
nutritional deficiencies. Long-term, chronic health
conditions or their treatments place extended
demands on the body’s nutrient base. Certain
medications may interfere with how the body
absorbs or maintains nutrients, such as diuretics
(“water pills”) which alter the body’s mechanisms
for retaining magnesium, sodium, potassium, and
calcium.
Other treatments such as RENAL DIALYSIS for
RENAL FAILURE may remove nutrients from the
body. As well, people who have chronic health
conditions are not always able to eat properly and
thus do not consume adequate nutrients. Vitamin
and mineral (micronutrient) deficiencies may
develop in people who voluntarily limit their food
intake to certain kinds of foods, such as those who
follow strict vegan (no animal protein) diets. Fad
diets may lead to deficiencies of macronutrients,
most commonly protein.

HEALTH CONDITIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES THAT CAN

CAUSE NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES

ALCOHOLISM anorexia nervosa
BARIATRIC SURGERY CELIAC DISEASE
COMA CYCLIC VOMITING SYNDROME
GASTRECTOMY INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE(IBD)
MALABSORPTION PEPTIC ULCER DISEASE
PERSISTENT VEGETATIVE STATE RENAL DIALYSIS
SHORT BOWEL SYNDROME STARVATION

Deficiencies are most likely to occur with

water-soluble nutrients as the body’s stores of

these are short-term. Though prompt intervention

through dietary changes and nutritional supple-

mentation can easily reverse most nutritional defi-

ciencies, unresolved or untreated nutritional

deficiencies can result in serious health conditions

such as SCURVY(vitamin C deficiency) and OSTEO-

POROSIS(calcium deficiency).

See also DIET AND HEALTH; HEMOCHROMATOSIS;

MALNUTRITION; NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS; WILSON’S

DISEASE.

nutritional needs The kinds and amounts of

NUTRIENTSthe body needs to maintain itself in good

health. Research has established minimum levels

of many nutrients, and health experts make rec-

ommendations for others based on the best avail-

able information. The roles of some nutrients

remain poorly understood, though the body

appears to require the nutrients for proper func-

tioning. A person’s nutritional needs change with

life stage, lifestyle, PREGNANCY, and health circum-

stances.

Acknowledging the individualized nature of

nutritional needs, the US Department of Agricul-

ture (UDSA), the government agency responsible

for establishing guidelines and standards for nutri-

tion and diet, in 2005 revised its gold standard

food guide pyramid to present 12 models of rec-

ommendations. The different models allow indi-

viduals to customize food choices to meet their

physical needs and health circumstances, empha-

size variety, and incorporate recommendations for

194 Nutrition and Diet

NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES AND THEIR POTENTIAL HEALTH PROBLEMS

Deficient Nutrient Health Conditions
calcium OSTEOMALACIA, OSTEOPOROSIS, RICKETS
MUSCLEcramps
HEART ARRHYTHMIA
HYPERTENSION(high BLOOD PRESSURE)
insomnia

chromium GLUCOSEintolerance
peripheral NEUROPATHY

copper slow HEALING