Nutritional Deficiency: Causes, Symptoms, and Impacts
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Added on  2023/04/06
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This article discusses the causes, symptoms, and impacts of nutritional deficiency. It emphasizes the importance of vitamins and minerals in maintaining a healthy body. The prevalence of inadequate intake of nutrients, particularly vitamin A, among Canadians is highlighted.
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Surname1 Student’s Name Professor’s Name Course Date Nutritional Deficiency Nutritional deficiency may be defined as the inadequate supply of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals that are essential to the body. The human body is made up of cells, that are made from proteins and enzymes which help in the proper functioning of the body. The enzymes catalyze the process of energy build up and consequently help the immune system in fighting invading pathogens (Van Rutte et al., 2013, 1643). It is, however, important to note that the enzymes cannot work on their own and thus need vitamins and minerals. These nutrients in their correct amounts help the body in maintaining homeostasis (Conaway et al., 2013, p. 770). The absence of these important nutrients is termed as nutrient deficiency. In this paper, we will talk about the most common nutrient deficiencies among Canadians. It is important to note that most Canadians do not normally meet their nutritional requirements especially through food alone. The deficiency may be a macronutrient or a micronutrient. Macronutrients are the main nutrients that make up the food that is consumed by people on a day to day basis. They include carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Micronutrients, on the other hand, include vitamins and minerals and they are only needed in small amounts to help in metabolism, human development and wellbeing, heartbeat, and bone density among others (Berdanier et al., 2015).
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Surname2 There is a growing concern that Canadians do not meet their daily needs for adequate intake of nutrients especially the micronutrients. The prevalence for inadequate intake of nutrients is usually high for Vitamin A. This vitamin can be found in many fruits, meat, whole milk, eggs, vegetables, and butter among other sources. It is important in the proper development of the immune system, eyes, and skin. Adequate consumption of this vitamin lowers the risks of cataracts, measles, breast cancer, and eye disease that may involve the retina. On average, a Canadian takes only around 500g of vitamin A in their daily diets. This amount is however insufficient for the proper functioning of the body. Studies indicate that men aged 19 years and above should be consuming a minimum of 900g and a maximum of 3000g of vitamin A daily. Women, on the other hand, should be consuming 700g and 770g when they are pregnant. For the lactating mothers, on the other hand, the least average daily intake of vitamin A should be 1300g (Ramage-Morin et al., 2013). The intake should however not exceed 3000g in a day for any individual. It is important to note that these amounts are inclusive of food sources and supplements. The population with the least intake of vitamin A among Canadians is made up of 19-year-old individuals. In excess of 35 percent, Canadians with the age of 19 years are reported to consume vitamin A in quantities that are well below the estimated average requirement. The prevalence of inadequate consumption of the vitamin rises in most adult sex and age groups (Ramage-Morin et al., 2013). This population has a low intake of vitamin A because they do not eat plenty of fruits. It is in fact recommended that an individual eats at least five servings of vegetables and fruits in a single day. Additionally, some Canadians have rice as the main food in the diet. Rice, however, does not contain any carotene which is a precursor of vitamin A.
Surname3 Deficiency of vitamin A causes several symptoms. Firstly, deficiency causes tiredness. It is also important to note that vitamin A deficiency increases the risks of throat infections, gastroenteritis, and chest infections (Akhtar, Saeed, et al., 2013, p. 413). The deficiency may also lead to slow growth and delayed bone development among children and teenagers. The vitamin is believed to exert a direct metabolic effect on the growth of bones (Tanumihardjo, 2013, p. 417). Additionally, the presence of vitamin A in the daily diet leads to a secondary reduction in infectious morbidity thus enhancing growth. Therefore. A deficiency of this nutrient means that the infectious morbidity is not reduced thus limiting the growth of children. The deficiency may also cause infertility, especially among women. Insufficient amount of vitamin A in the diet may lead to a defective onset meiotic prophase in ovarian germ cells. This may result in secondary infertility as the germ cells of an embryo fail to undergo meiosis (El-Khashab, Ehab, et al., 2013, p. 201). This may even cause miscarriages. It is thus clear that vitamin A is very important for the normal functioning of the female reproductive system. Deficiency of vitamin A also causes eye and vision problems. These problems may include night blindness, perforation of the cornea, a severe sight impairment that is caused by damage of the retina, dryness of the cornea and conjunctiva on the eye surface, and thinning and ulceration of the cornea among other conditions. Vitamin A helps in protecting the cornea thus aiding in vision. This nutrient is a powerful antioxidant and thus it helps in protecting the eye against oxidative damage. Oxidative damage may be caused by exposure to violet, blue, and ultraviolet light. Furthermore, vitamin A deficiency causes skin and hair problems that include dry skin, itching, and dry hair. The skin readily absorbs vitamin A because it is highly responsive to the retinoid. Vitamin A is responsible for the production of new skin cells. Otherwise, with the absence of this
Surname4 vitamin, the skin becomes overly dry (Al Tanoury et al., 2013, p. 1764). Additionally, insufficient amounts of vitamin A in the diet may lead to follicular hyperkeratosis. This condition is characterized by excessively high amounts of keratin in the hair follicles. As a result, papules form on the skin. Also, vitamin A stimulates the production collagens thus leading to a reduction of wrinkles. It is thus clear that vitamin A is essential in skin and hair problems.
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