1.4.9

Diseases Caused by Nutritional Deficiencies

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Diseases Caused by Nutritional Deficiencies

The following diseases are caused by not getting enough of a certain food or nutrient:

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Scurvy

  • Scurvy is caused by a vitamin C deficiency.
  • The body can't make enough collagen which can lead to bleeding and swollen gums, tiredness and muscle pain.
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Vitamin D deficiency

  • When children don't get enough vitamin D when they are growing, they can get rickets, where bones are malformed.
  • If adults don't get enough vitamin D, they can experience tiredness, and they can get severe bone pain called osteomalacia.
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Anaemia

  • Anaemia is caused by a lack of iron in the diet or blood loss.
  • The body can't make enough haemoglobin and red blood cells, which leads to tiredness, pale skin and shortness of breath.
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Kwashiorkor

  • Kwashiorkor is caused by severe protein deficiency.
  • The body can't grow and repair its tissues, and the immune system becomes weak. It can also cause stunted growth and a swollen belly.

Jump to other topics

1Biology

1.1Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2Reproduction & Variation

1.3Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4Digestion & Nutrition

1.5Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6Biological Systems & Processes

2Chemistry

2.1Particles

2.2Chemical Reactions

2.3Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4The Periodic Table

2.5Materials & the Earth

2.6Reactivity

2.7Energetics

2.8Properties of Materials

3Physics

3.1Energy

3.2Forces & Motion

3.3Waves

3.4Electricity & Magnetism

3.5Matter

3.6Space Physics

4Thinking Scientifically

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