Word
malnutrition
Phoneticsmal·nu·tri·tion
US/ˌmæɫnuˈtɹɪʃən/
UK/mˌælnjuːtɹˈɪʃən/
Definition
n. a serious health condition that happens when your body does not get enough of the right nutrients. It can be caused by not eating enough food or by eating food that lacks vitamins and minerals.
n. a physical condition resulting from an insufficient, excessive, or unbalanced intake of nutrients. Often used in medical or humanitarian contexts to describe the effects of chronic hunger or poor diet.
Examples
“The doctor treated the child for malnutrition.”
“Even in wealthy nations, elderly patients can suffer from malnutrition if they are unable to prepare balanced meals for themselves.”
“International aid agencies warned that the disruption of supply chains would lead to widespread malnutrition among the displaced population, particularly affecting nursing mothers and young children.”
Examples
simple
“The doctor treated the child for malnutrition.”
contextual
“Even in wealthy nations, elderly patients can suffer from malnutrition if they are unable to prepare balanced meals for themselves.”
complex
“International aid agencies warned that the disruption of supply chains would lead to widespread malnutrition among the displaced population, particularly affecting nursing mothers and young children.”
Usage
Uncountable in its general sense; occasionally countable when referring to specific medical types of the condition.
Real-World Examples
“The spike in malnutrition cases is caused by a mix of environmental and political factors.” “If left untreated, it can cause bleeding sores, malnutrition, emaciation and secondary bacterial infections that may eventually lead to a dog's death.” Etymology
From mal- + nutrition.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/malnutrition