Nutritional Disorders
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Nutrition: General Considerations
Nutrition is the science of food and its relationship to health. Nutrients are chemicals in foods that are used by the body for growth, maintenance, and energy. -
Mineral Deficiency and Toxicity
Six macrominerals are required by people in gram amounts.- Overview of Minerals
- Chromium Deficiency
- Chromium Toxicity
- Copper Deficiency
- Copper Toxicity
- Wilson Disease
- Fluorine Deficiency
- Fluorine Toxicity
- Iodine Deficiency
- Iodine Toxicity
- Iron Deficiency
- Iron Toxicity
- Manganese Deficiency
- Manganese Toxicity
- Molybdenum Deficiency
- Molybdenum Toxicity
- Selenium Deficiency
- Selenium Toxicity
- Zinc Deficiency
- Zinc Toxicity
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Nutritional Support
Many undernourished patients need nutritional support, which aims to increase lean body mass. Oral feeding can be difficult for some patients with anorexia or with eating or absorption problems. Nutritional support is often needed for critically ill patients (1). -
Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome
Obesity is excess body weight, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of ≥ 30 kg/m2. Complications include cardiovascular disorders (particularly in people with excess abdominal fat), diabetes mellitus, certain cancers, cholelithiasis, fatty liver, cirrhosis, osteoarthritis, reproductive disorders in men and women, psychologic disorders, and, for people with BMI ≥ 35, premature death. Diagnosis is based on BMI. Treatment includes lifestyle modification (eg, in diet, physical activity, and behavior) and, for certain patients, drugs or bariatric (weight-loss) surgery. -
Undernutrition
Undernutrition is a form of malnutrition. (Malnutrition also includes overnutrition.) Undernutrition can result from inadequate ingestion of nutrients, malabsorption, impaired metabolism, loss of nutrients due to diarrhea, or increased nutritional requirements (as occurs in cancer or infection). Undernutrition progresses in stages; it may develop slowly when it is due to anorexia or very rapidly, as sometimes occurs when it is due to rapidly progressive cancer-related cachexia. First, nutrient levels in blood and tissues change, followed by intracellular changes in biochemical functions and structure. Ultimately, symptoms and signs appear. Diagnosis is by history, physical examination, body composition analysis, and sometimes laboratory tests (eg, albumin). -
Vitamin Deficiency, Dependency, and Toxicity
Vitamins may be- Overview of Vitamins
- Biotin and Pantothenic Acid
- Folate Deficiency
- Niacin Deficiency
- Niacin Toxicity
- Riboflavin Deficiency
- Thiamin Deficiency
- Vitamin A Deficiency
- Vitamin A Toxicity
- Vitamin B6 Deficiency and Dependency
- Vitamin B6 Toxicity
- Vitamin B12 Deficiency
- Vitamin C Deficiency
- Vitamin C Toxicity
- Vitamin D Deficiency and Dependency
- Vitamin D Toxicity
- Vitamin E Deficiency
- Vitamin E Toxicity
- Vitamin K Deficiency
- Vitamin K Toxicity
