Poor Nutrition | CDC (2024)

Overweight and Obesity

Eating a healthy diet, along with getting enough physical activity and sleep, can help children grow up healthy and prevent overweight and obesity. In the United States, 20% of young people aged 2 to 19 years and 42% of adults have obesity, which can put them at risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.

Heart Disease and Stroke

Poor Nutrition | CDC (1)

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Bowel cancer

Two of the leading causes of heart disease and stroke are high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. Consuming too much sodium can increase blood pressure and the risk for heart disease and stroke. Current guidelines recommend getting less than 2,300 mg a day, but Americans consume more than 3,400 mg a day on average.

Over 70% of the sodium that Americans eat comes from packaged, processed, store-bought, and restaurant foods. Eating foods low in saturated fats and high in fiber and increasing access to low-sodium foods, along with regular physical activity, can help prevent high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Type 2 Diabetes

People who are overweight or have obesity are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes compared to those at a healthybecause, over time, their bodies become less able to use the insulin they make. Of US adults, 96 million—more than 1 in 3—haveprediabetes, and more than 8 in 10 of them don’t know they have it. Although the rate of new cases has decreased in recent years, the number of adults with diagnosed diabetes has nearly doubled in the last 2 decades as the US population has increased, aged, and become more overweight.

Cancer

An unhealthy diet can increase the risk of some cancers. Consuming unhealthy food and beverages, such as sugar-sweetened beverages and highly processed food, can lead to weight gain, obesity and other chronic conditions that put people at higher risk of at least 13 types of cancer, including endometrial (uterine) cancer, breast cancer in postmenopausal women, and colorectal cancer. The risk of colorectal cancer is also associated with eating red and processed meat.

Poor Nutrition | CDC (2024)

FAQs

What are three 3 consequences of poor nutrition? ›

The conditions often affected by our diet include coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, some forms of cancer, type 2 diabetes, dental caries, gall bladder disease and nutritional anaemias.

How do you solve lack of nutrition? ›

Solutions:
  1. Eat smaller meals and snacks more frequently. ...
  2. Talk to your provider. ...
  3. Avoid non-nutritious beverages such as black coffee and tea; instead choose milk and juices.
  4. Try to eat more protein and fat, and less simple sugars.
  5. Walk or participate in light activity to stimulate your appetite.

What is the explanation of poor nutrition? ›

Malnutrition means poor nutrition. Most commonly this is caused by not eating enough (undernutrition) or not eating enough of the right food to give your body the nutrients it needs.

What happens if you dont get enough nutrition? ›

There are now strong links between low intakes of particular nutrients and the risk of developing chronic disease including some cancers, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and depression. During pregnancy, insufficient nutrient intake can have long-term health implications for the health of the child.

Which disease is associated with poor nutrition? ›

Eating an unhealthy diet can have serious consequences and can increase someone's risk of dying from heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes.

How long does it take to recover from malnutrition in adults? ›

The median nutritional recovery time of the entire cohort was 65 days (CI: 61.6–68.4) for moderate malnutrition and 145 days for severe malnutrition (CI: 130.7–159) (Figure 1).

What are 2 causes of poor nutrition? ›

Causes of malnutrition

reduced dietary intake. reduced absorption of macro- and/or micronutrients.

What does poor nutrition look like? ›

Signs and symptoms of malnutrition

a low body weight – people with a body mass index (BMI) under 18.5 are at risk of being malnourished (use the BMI calculator to work out your BMI) a lack of interest in eating and drinking. feeling tired all the time. feeling weak.

What are two results of poor nutrition? ›

5 Things Poor Nutrition Does to Your Overall Health
  • Decreased energy levels.
  • Reduced immunity.
  • Disrupted sleep quality.
  • Affected mood.
  • Increased risk of memory problems.

What are the signs of poor nutrition? ›

Other symptoms of malnutrition include:
  • reduced appetite.
  • lack of interest in food and drink.
  • feeling tired all the time.
  • feeling weaker.
  • getting ill often and taking a long time to recover.
  • wounds taking a long time to heal.
  • poor concentration.
  • feeling cold most of the time.

How to tell if your body is in starvation mode? ›

We dive into 11 signs that you may not be eating enough.
  1. Being underweight. To evaluate your weight, you may want to start with your body mass index (BMI). ...
  2. Low energy levels. ...
  3. Hair loss. ...
  4. Changes in hunger cues. ...
  5. Problems trying to get pregnant. ...
  6. Mood problems. ...
  7. Feeling cold all the time. ...
  8. Constipation.
Sep 7, 2023

How do you feel when your vitamin D is extremely low? ›

Symptoms when vitamin D is low

Most people with vitamin D deficiency are asymptomatic. However, if you're exhausted, your bones hurt, you have muscle weakness or mood changes, that's an indication that something may be abnormal with your body.

What are three 3 possible effects of a poor diet for children? ›

Symptoms of poor diet can include:
  • being underweight, overweight or obese.
  • constipation or changes in bowel habits.
  • being pale or lethargic.
  • tooth decay.
  • poor physical growth.

What are 4 consequences of malnutrition? ›

Consequences of malnutrition
  • Muscle function. Weight loss due to depletion of fat and muscle mass, including organ mass, is often the most obvious sign of malnutrition. ...
  • Cardio-respiratory function. ...
  • Gastrointestinal function. ...
  • Immunity and wound healing. ...
  • Psychosocial effects.

What are the three health risks related to poor nutrition? ›

Food insecurity can lead to Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity. More than half the households the Feeding America network serves have at least one member living with high blood pressure and more than one-third have a member with diabetes.

What might happen if a person has poor nutrition? ›

People with protein-energy undernutrition are often visibly emaciated. Children may have stunted growth and development. One of the first systems to begin to shut down is the immune system. This makes undernourished people highly prone to illness and infection and slower to recover.

References

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