1. MALNUTRITION
Thailand is well known for its fertility and the many varieties of food. Thailand also produces more than enough food for the citizens of the country, and also exports a lot to other countries every year. However, despite this abundance, reports show that some of the citizens in the country still are malnourished, especially infants and preschool children. These children do not have full physical growth and their resistance to infection is low. In addition, the personal habits of the Thai people cause malnutrition because they whatever they prefer without considering t h e nutritional content. This leads to malnutrition unintentionally. Learning the causes and how to prevent malnutrition will help the children and juveniles to enjoy good health and full growth.
When food is taken into the body, it will be digested by our internal organs and provide nutrition as follows:
Provides the energy for essential body processes such as breathing, digestion, muscular performance and all other bodily activities. Essential for the proper growth of children, as well as repairing and maintaining the body. Maintains the body’s immune system. Provides fuel for all bodily actions. Therefore, when insufficient nutrition is taken into the body, the body cannot function properly. This is called malnutrition.
Some important clinical results from malnutrition common in Thailand:
1. PROTEIN AND CALORIE DEFICIENCY
Protein and calorie deficiency are caused from our body getting inadequate protein, carbohydrate, and fats. This problem can often be found in children under 6 years old especially infants and preschool children. This is because of bad treatment and insufficient knowledge of nutrition. There are two types of malnutrition, kwashiorkor and marasmus.
1.1 Kwashiorkor is a symptom of protein malnutrition and usually happens when
infants are fed from sweetened condensed milk mixed with dry milk and given supplementary food which is mostly rice or flour. This provides insufficient protein for growth and other bodily systems become defective. The symptoms in an infant include a pale and swollen face, legs, body, dry and fragile hair, dry skin, depression, easy infection, and impermeable cognition.
1.2 Marasmus is a symptom of a lack of protein, carbohydrate and fat. The symptoms are similar to those of kwashiorkor but no swelling of the body, face, and legs. The body will be very thin, with a big head, protruding belly, wrinkled and peeling skin like an old man and frequent diarrhea.
PREVENTION AND TREATMENT FOR A LACK OF PROTEIN AND CALORIES
Surveys show that a lack of protein and calories is most common in infants and pre-school children in the Northeastern part of Thailand. The Health Department also reports that these symptoms can also be found in pregnant women and women who are breast feeding. Some women believe that protein is bad for their health, so they get only 80 percent of the calories and 62 -69 percent of the protein that they should have.
The lack of protein in infants and teenagers is an important problem in Thailand. To solve the problem, children are encouraged to drink milk, especially breast milk. A lot of nutrients can be found in milk. Some government sections have also produced food with high protein and low cost for the poor. The Institute of Research and Development in Food Production, Kasetsart University has produced protein from crops to complement animal protein called ‚ “Protein Kaset” and “Green seaweed Protein”.
2. VITAMIN DEFICIENCY
While the body needs protein, carbohydrate, and fat, it also needs vitamins and minerals for good health. These helps keep the organs normal. Although our body needs only small amounts of these nutrients if we are lacking in them, the body will not be healthy and might get various diseases. In Thailand, the vitamins most lacking include vitamins A, B1, B2 and C the details of which are as follows. -
Source: https://casereports.bmj.com/content/2017/bcr-2017-220024
2.1 Vitamin A Deficiency is caused from eating low fat and inadequate vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency suspends the growth of children causing them to have dry and rough skin like a toad. There is inflammation of the skin at the bottom, arms, legs, elbows, knees, and chest. In addition, there is inflammation in the nostrils, ears, mouth, salivary gland, conjunctiva, dry white and black cornea, scars at the white cornea, opaque and thick pupils and if it is severe, they become blind or cannot adjust eyesight in the darkness. We call this, partially blind or night blindness.
Prevention of vitamin A deficiency can be done by eating food with adequate fat such as eggs and milk, green and yellow vegetables such as morning glory, kale, gourd, yam and fruits like papaya and ripe mango. For infants, they should have supplementary food with liver and mashed egg yolk.
2.2 Vitamin B1 deficiency happens from eating food with low vitamin B and eating food which obstructs the absorption of vitamin B1. Vitamin B1 deficiency, known as beriberi, will cause numbness in the hands and feet. The muscles of the hands and feet are weak. Some patients may have a swollen body and if it is severe, it may cause shivering, cardio-megaly, breathlessness, exhaustion, and even death if not treated promptly.
Prevention and Treatment of vitamin B1 deficiency can be done by always eating food with adequate vitamin B1 such as brown rice, liver, dried beans, and beef. Foods which destroy vitamin B1 include raw pickled fish, raw oysters, and tea, etc. These foods should be avoided.
2.3 Vitamin B2 Deficiency is caused from eating food without enough vitamin B2. Anyone who lacks this vitamin will have lesions or cracks at both corners of the mouth or small clear flakes at the nose. The tongue will be redder than usual and painful or there may be lesions at the walls of the mouth and tickling and burning pain at the eyes. These symptoms are called canker sores. The patient will be tired, bored with food, and upset.
Prevention and Treatment of Vitamin B2 Deficiency can be done by always eating food with adequate vitamin B2 such as fresh milk, flavored milk, soybean milk, dried beans, brown rice, vegetables, and fruits, etc.
2.4 Vitamin C Deficiency is caused from eating food without enough vitamin C. Anyone who lacks vitamin C will get sick easily because they have a low resistance to disease. They will have red, swollen gums and bleed easily. If it is severe, the teeth become loose and bleeding gums which we call, scurvy.
Prevention and Treatment of Vitamin C Deficiency can be done by always eating food with adequate vitamin C such as oranges, lemons, tamarind, tomatoes, guava, coriander, etc.
The vitamins that are most problematic are mostly water-soluble vitamins like vitamin B. Fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin E and K will not usually be a problem because some of these vitamins can be synthesized by our own body like vitamin D which we get from the sunlight of outdoor activities. The ultra-violet radiation from the sun can change a kind of fatty substance under our skin to vitamin D. For vitamin K, our body can synthesize it from bacteria in the large intestine. Vitamin A however, which can be found in vegetables and the yellow, red, and green colored fruits is easily lost when heated.
3. MINERAL DEFICIENCY
Minerals help control the normal functions of our organs, and are important for the composition of significant parts of our body such as bones, teeth, blood, muscles, etc. If our bodies lack minerals, our organs may malfunction causing various diseases as discussed below:
3.1 Calcium and Phosphorus deficiency are caused from eating food without enough calcium and phosphorus. Anyone who lacks calcium and phosphorus will get the rickets, most common in children, pregnant women, or lactating women. It causes swollen joints, bow legged, muscle slackness, joints of the front ribs bulging causing what is known as chicken breast. Rickets result from not only lacking minerals but also from not getting sufficient sunlight.
Prevention and the Treatment of calcium and phosphorus deficiency can be accomplished by always eating food with a lot of calcium and phosphorus like fresh milk, fish with bones, green vegetables, fish oil, etc.
3.2 Iron Deficiency is caused from eating food without enough iron or there is an abnormality in the digestive system and malabsorption. Anyone who lacks iron be anemic because the body produces less hemoglobin than usual and makes our body tired, bored with food, and to have a low resistance to disease. Symptoms include pale eyelids, inflammation of the tongue, fragile nails, and less capacity for work.
Prevention and Treatment of iron deficiency can be accomplished by always eating food containing iron and high protein such as liver, gizzard, beef, green vegetables, etc.
Source: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673608610053/fulltext
3.3 Iodine deficiency is caused from eating food containing low iodine or having any substance block the absorption of iodine in our body. Anyone who lacks iodine will get a goiter and the thyroid glands are often swollen. This affects physical and mental development. Children grow up slowly, have impaired cognition, and may be dumb and deaf. This is a common condition for people who live in the Northern and the North-eastern parts of Thailand.
Prevention and Treatment of the Iodine Deficiency can be accomplished by eating sea food such as shrimp, shellfish, crab, fish, etc. If sea food is not available, we should eat healthy salt a mixture of sea salt and iodine used for cooking. In addition, we should avoid food which blocks the absorption of iodine such as raw cabbage. Cabbage should always be cooked before eating.
Conclusion: Malnutrition not only has harmful effects to the body, but it also obstructs people’s way of live and the development of the country. Hence, it is extremely important that everyone should choose food with high quality nutrients based on the 5 groups of primary food. We should eat an appropriate amount of such food to satisfy the body’s needs in daily life in order to be strong and healthy. However, diseases related to the nutrients are not only caused by lacking nutrients but having too much of them can also cause unhealthy conditions. Being very fat is known as obesity.
3.4 Obesity is caused from eating more food than the body needs resulting in the accumulation of fat in the body. Obesity generally causes the following symptoms: nervousness, low immunity, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, etc.
Nowadays, Thai society has changed especially in big cities where everyone has to rush to work. The consumption habits of people are becoming more like those of western countries. Food like pizza, sandwiches, fried chicken, potato chips, etc., is loaded with fatty acids with high cholesterol. The best way to prevent obesity is to avoid eating that kind of food, choosing food with less fat and getting regular exercise. If you are overweight, consult your physician for advice. Do not use special soaps, creams or medicine which promises to make you lose weight because they may be harmful to your health.