malnutrition

American  

[mal-noo-trish-uhn, -nyoo-] / ˌmæl nuˈtrɪʃ ən, -nyu- /

noun

1. lack of proper nutrition; inadequate or unbalanced nutrition.

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malnutrition British  

/ ˌmælnjuːˈtrɪʃən /

noun

1. lack of adequate nutrition resulting from insufficient food, unbalanced diet, or defective assimilation

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malnutrition Scientific  

/ măl′no̅o̅-trĭsh′ən /

1. Poor nutrition caused by an insufficient, oversufficient, or poorly balanced diet or by a medical condition, such as chronic diarrhea, resulting in inadequate digestion or utilization of foods.

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malnutrition Cultural  

1. Inadequate nutrition caused by the lack of a balanced diet or by disorders of the digestive system in which the nutrients from food cannot be absorbed properly.

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Etymology

Origin of malnutrition

First recorded in 1860–65; mal- + nutrition

Compare meaning

How does malnutrition compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• malnutrition vs. undernutrition

Example Sentences

On Sunday, the government announced a one-day-per-week reduction in its free school meals programme, though not for areas with high malnutrition rates.

From Barron's

In regions with high malnutrition rates, meals will remain available on Saturdays, when many Indonesian schools are open in Southeast Asia's biggest economy.

From Barron's

“You’re suffering from malnutrition. You must be careful what you eat.”

From Literature

The link between childhood malnutrition and a greater risk of obesity later in life initially surprised the research team.

From Science Daily

In India, gas-intensive companies such as fertilizer producers might be forced to throttle back production, which could imperil crop yields in a country that still suffers from malnutrition.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• hunger
• starvation