Underweight or Undernutrition

     Underweight is a condition wherein the body weight is more than 10% below the desirable body weight. Underweight or undernutrition predisposes an individual to infectious diseases.

Probable Causes

• Inadequate food intake
• Poor quality of food choices
• Poor absorption of food eaten
• Poor utilization of food eaten
• Irregular eating habits
• Wasting disease such as pulmonary tuberculosis
• Stress
• Worry
• Anorexia nervosa
• Cancer
• Endocrine disturbance (hyperthyroidism)
• Fever

Probable Symptoms
• Weight is more than 10% below desirable body weight.
• Pallor (Paleness)
• Lowered resistance of infection

Helpful Dietary Management
• Identify and treat the root cause of undereating or weight loss. This is necessary if one has to gain maximum benefits from dietary management.
• Eat an up-building diet (high in calories, moderate in fat, providing vitamins and minerals at optimum level).
• Give special attention to B vitamins because they increase appetite and improve digestion.
• Increase amount of food  to be given gradually to avoid stomach upset and spells of discouragement.
• Start  with small frequent feedings including concentrated sources of calories then gradually adjust to serving 3 regular meals per day.
• 

• Poor quality of food choices

• Poor absorption of food eaten

• Irregular eating habits

• Wasting disease such as pulmonary tuberculosis

• Stress

• Worry

• Anorexia nervosa

• Cancer

• Endocrine disturbance (hyperthyroidism)

• Fever

Probable Symptoms

• Weight is more than 10% below desirable body weight.

• Pallor (Paleness)

• Lowered Resistance to infection

Helpful Dietary Management

• Identify and treat the root cause of undereating or weight loss. This is necessary if one has to gain maximum benefits from dietary management.