If you think of bright red apples and healthy whole grain foods when you hear the word nutrition, you might not have considered its less palatable side. Certain aspects of the world's nutritional state are also a bit disturbing, as illustrated by the increase in the obesity rate, as well as the populations that continue to suffer from malnourishment and hunger.
Side Effects
Vitamins and minerals are crucial for overall health and well-being, but too much of anything is never a good idea. Vitamins can cause some pretty disturbing side effects, including skin problems, digestive issues, hives, difficulty breathing and even serious symptoms that can be fatal. In fact, vitamins are listed as one of the top 25 Substances Most Commonly Involved in Human Exposures, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers' 27th Annual Report, issued in the year 2009.
Fast Food
For the health-conscious, nutrition facts labels at fast food restaurants are enough to trigger nightmares. For example, a 32-ounce milkshake at one popular fast food establishment contains 1330 calories, which is more than half of the recommended daily calorie intake for the average person. In a 15-year study published in "The Lancet," young adults who consumed fast food more than twice per week were more likely to develop insulin resistance and gain more weight by mid-adulthood, as noted by the National Institutes of Health.
Deficiency
Inadequate nutritional intake also causes disturbing symptoms. For example, kwashiorkor, or severe protein deficiency, results in decreased muscle mass, failure to thrive, rash, impaired immunity and even stroke in severe cases. Kwashiorkor is uncommon in the United States, although as many as 50 percent of elderly persons don't get enough protein in their diets. Other serious nutritional deficiencies that cause serious side effects include scurvy, rickets, beriberi, pellagra and marasmus. Although these conditions are less common in developed countries, they continue to cause severe sickness and death in underdeveloped countries.
Statistics
Some of the most disturbing nutritional facts are illustrated in the form of statistics. For example, approximately 30 percent of the world's population suffers from hunger, poverty and malnutrition, according to the World Health Organization. Developed countries have nutritional setbacks of their own. For example, in 2010, 13 states report obesity rates that are higher than 30 percent, and over one third of children between the ages were overweight or obese in the year 2008, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
References
- Nutrition; Paul Insel et al.
- American Association of Poison Control Centers: 27th Annual Report
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation: Fast Food
- National Institutes of Health: Frequent Fast Food Meals Increase Weight, Diabetes Risk, Study Says
- National Institutes of Health: Kwashiorkor
- World Health Organization: Turning the Tide of Malnutrition
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Overweight and Obesity
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Childhood Obesity Facts
