Deficiency Diseases and Health Conditions

Non communicable diseases can develop due to intake of inadequate diet which leads to deficiency of nutrients.

In marasmus, body become shrunken with little or no fat, and the ribs stick out. The skin hangs loose over the bones, making the child look wrinkled and old.

Bleeding gums is one of the symptoms of scurvy. It does not occur in marasmus.

Marasmus is a nutritional deficiency disorder.

Ingestion of contaminated food can lead to infectious of digestive tract and cause communicable disease.

Diseases that can spread from one person to another are usually caused by germs and called infectious/communicable diseases.

Many of the deficiency diseases occur during childhood as this is the period of growth when the body requires plenty of nutrients.

Kwashiorkor is an acute deficiency of proteins during infancy and childhood. In this condition the stomach and ankles become swollen while the rest of the body remains skeletal.

Bones become weak and soft in case of vitamin - D deficiency.

Protein deficiency leads to muscle wasting as they are vital for building the body. Patchy skin and discolored hair are common signs of protein deficiency.

Vitamin D deficiency affects the absorption of calcium by bones leading to weak and soft bones.

Rickets occur due to deficiency of vitamin D in child's diet.

Vitamin C increase resistance to infection. Thus its deficiency affects body immunity.

Vitamin D deficiency weakness chest bone leading to deformity called pigeon chest.

Vitamin C is responsible for keeping gums healthy Vitamin C deficiency leads to scurvy which is characterized by swollen gums and loosening of teeth.