Niedoywienie

Niedoywienie is not a standard medical term in Polish; it is commonly encountered as a misspelling of niedożywienie, which refers to undernutrition. Undernutrition describes insufficient intake of calories and nutrients over time, leading to weight loss and impaired health. It remains a major public health issue worldwide, affecting people of all ages but posing the greatest risk to children, pregnant women, and the elderly.

Causes and forms are diverse. Undernutrition can result from poverty, food insecurity, chronic illness, or conditions that increase nutrient needs or reduce absorption. It can present as acute undernutrition (wasting) or chronic undernutrition (stunting). Severe protein-energy malnutrition includes syndromes such as marasmus and kwashiorkor, which reflect different patterns of nutrient deficiency.

Symptoms and signs include low body weight relative to age or height, muscle wasting, fatigue, and susceptibility to infections. In children, developmental delays and impaired growth are common. Edema may appear in kwashiorkor. Diagnosis relies on anthropometric measurements (such as BMI in adults, weight-for-height, height-for-age, and weight-for-age in children), clinical assessment, and occasionally laboratory tests indicating nutrient deficiencies or anemia.

Treatment and management focus on stabilization, gradual refeeding, and treating underlying infections or illnesses. Nutritional rehabilitation may involve vitamin and mineral supplementation and, in severe cases, therapeutic foods under medical supervision. Long-term management addresses the underlying causes, including food security, access to diverse diets, maternal nutrition, and disease control to prevent recurrence.

See also: malnutrition, protein-energy malnutrition, food security.