www.facebook.com
www.twitter.com
When the body weight is
decreased by 10% or more below the standard reference weight for the age, sex
and height, the body is underweight. The underweight person looks lean and thin
and emaciated and is more prone to be afflicted
with the infectious diseases as tuberculosis etc. there is anorexia(loss
of appetite) so the main aim in the management of underweight is to improve the
appetite.
Main
causes of underweight
* Imbalanced diet, inadequacy
of proteins in the diet may cause low body weight.
* By wasting diseases such as
tuberculosis,
diabetes, cancer, malabsorption syndrome, diarrhea, dysentery and cholera etc.
* Excessive fasting, most
commonly occurs in women.
* Consumption of food in
lesser quantity as occurs in persons who are more active and busy, nervous and
tense.
* Aversion to eating.
* Lack of interest in eating
and food.
* Alteration of taste.
* Psychological factors.
* Marasmus in children.
Remedies
* Energy: take 50 Kcals to the normal requirement.
Note: requirements of the calories depend upon the
activities of the person. If there is excessive intake of high caloric foods,
digestive troubles as diarrhea may occur.
* Proteins: take 1.2 to 1.5 gm of proteins per kg.
* Fats: fats as ghee, butter and oils etc. should be
increased in the diet as they increase the body weight.
Note: avoid fried foods and the foods containing excess
of oil. Because they may cause diarrhea or may lessen the appetite.
* Carbohydrates: take carbohydrate containing food stuffs such as wheat,
rice, maize, pulses, underground vegetables as potatoes and sweet potatoes etc.
Note: Take groundnuts, almonds, walnuts and cashewnuts
as supplements.
* Vitamins and minerals: not require if you’re taking the above mention.
* Fluids:
underweight persons should drink water and other fluids after meals as their
consumption before a meal suppresses the appetite.
Take fluids such as fresh
fruit juices and soups. These will avoid constipation.
Note: underweight persons should have a good appetite.
Underweight person should not consume
such as beverages as alcohol etc., which suppress the appetite.
Methods of
improving appetite and so food intake
* Avoid the noxious
environmental stimuli as unpleasant sight and foul smell etc.
* Mouth of the underweight
person should be cleaned before taking food as it promotes eating.
* Cut the food items into
small pieces which promote eating.
* Eat food slowly and should
take adequate time in chewing, it also promotes eating.
* There should be no fluid
intake during meals. Fluids intake during meals reduces food intake, so fluid
intake should be after meals.
* Tasty food promotes eating,
so the taste of the foods should be improved.
* Encourage exercise which
stimulates appetite.
Please give your valuable
comments.
