Too little or Too much Food

When the body is not given enough of any one of the essential nutrients over a period of time, it becomes weak and less able to fight infection.

The brain may become sluggish and react slowly.

The body taps its stored fat for energy, and muscle is broken down to use for energy.

Eventually the body withers away, the heart ceases to pump properly, and death occurs—the most extreme result of a dietary condition known as deficiency-related malnutrition.

Deficiency diseases result from inadequate intake of the major nutrients. These deficiencies can result from eating foods that lack critical vitamins and minerals, from a lack of variety of foods, or from simply not having enough food.



Malnutrition can reflect conditions of poverty, war, famine, and disease. It can also result from eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

Although malnutrition is more commonly associated with dietary deficiencies, it also can develop in cases where people have enough food to eat, but they choose foods low in essential nutrients.

This is the more common form of malnutrition in developed countries such as the United States.

When poor food choices are made, a person may be getting an adequate, or excessive, amount of calories each day, yet still be undernourished. For example, iron deficiency is a common health problem among women and young children in the United States, and low intake of calcium is directly related to poor quality bones and increased fracture risk, especially in the elderly.

A diet of excesses may also lead to other nutritional problems.

Obesity is the condition of having too much body fat. It has been linked to life-threatening diseases including diabetes mellitus, heart problems, and some forms of cancer.


Eating too many salty foods may contribute to high blood pressure ( hypertension), an often undiagnosed condition that causes the heart to work too hard and puts strain on the arteries.

High blood pressure can lead to strokes, heart attacks, and kidney failure.

A diet high in cholesterol and fat, particularly saturated fat, is the primary cause of atherosclerosis, which results when fat and cholesterol deposits build up in the arteries, causing a reduction in blood flow.