malnutrition

[ mal-noo-trish-uhn, -nyoo- ]

noun

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

malnutrition

/ ˌmælnjuːˈtrɪʃən /

noun

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

malnutrition

/ 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.

malnutrition

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of malnutrition¹

First recorded in 1860–65; mal- + nutrition

Example Sentences

We want that whole spectrum in our toolkit so that we can go and offer solutions wherever we go, in Madagascar and across Africa—wherever you have poverty combined with malnutrition and biodiversity issues.

From Time

She said more children are suffering from malnutrition because they are not receiving the nutritionally balanced meals at schools.

From Washington Post

Rates of poverty, malnutrition and childhood mortality are going up for the first time in years.

From Time

According to her notes, she told the family Johnson’s prognosis was “poor” and they discussed what would be best for her in light of her “dementia, renal failure, respiratory failure, and malnutrition.”

From ProPublica

Lillian wanted to do something to help curb malnutrition on a grander scale.

From Science News For Students

“One-third of South Asians and more than half of all Sub-Saharan Africans suffer from malnutrition or undernutrition,” he writes.

From The Daily Beast

Figueroa told The Daily Beast that her husband indeed was stabbed and he is also anemic from malnutrition.

From The Daily Beast

While food is distributed to families, children living on the UN base in Bentiu continue to struggle with malnutrition.

From The Daily Beast

For children on the brink of severe malnutrition, diarrhea can be the trigger that pushes them over the edge.

From The Daily Beast

A nation that not 20 years ago was struggling with malnutrition, Brazil is now waging an all-too-familiar battle of the bulge.

From The Daily Beast

The occupants were all suffering from malnutrition, and there was a great deal of starvation in the town.

From Project Gutenberg

The half brute of the London slums had not food enough when a child, and malnutrition is deadly.

From Project Gutenberg

The underfed workman does not ask for a tonic, but for better economic conditions which shall prevent malnutrition.

From Project Gutenberg

However, they could have died from malnutrition and been eaten as carrion.

From Project Gutenberg

It is half what ails folks, that so many of them have no children in their lives and it affects them like malnutrition.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• hunger
• starvation