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Malnutrition - Treatment

Alternative Names

Nutrition - inadequate

Treatment:

Treatment usually consists of replacing missing nutrients, treating symptoms as needed, and treating any underlying medical condition.

Expectations (prognosis):

The outlook depends on the cause of the malnutrition. Most nutritional deficiencies can be corrected. However, if malnutrition is caused by a medical condition, that illness has to be treated in order to reverse the nutritional deficiency.

Complications:

If untreated, malnutrition can lead to mental or physical disability, illness, and possibly death.

Calling your health care provider:

Discuss your risk of malnutrition with your health care provider. You must seek treatment if you experience any change in your body's ability to function. The symptoms include, but are not limited to, fainting, lack of menstruation, lack of growth in children, and rapid hair loss.

Food guide pyramid

Reviewed last on: 5/18/2007
Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics and Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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