Relationship between malnutrition and health - By Auréa Cormier, ndsc, Ph. D. Emeritus Professor of Nutrition Université de Moncton
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Relationship between
malnutrition and health
By Auréa Cormier, ndsc, Ph. D.
Emeritus Professor of Nutrition
Université de Moncton
1
Presentation Outline
Four scenarios of low-income households to
illustrate the difficulties to eat nutritious
foods1;
Impact of poverty on health;
Effects malnutrition throughout the life cycle;
Nutritional status of the elderly and associated
health risks;
Conclusion.
1 These scenarios are based on calculations from Statistics
Canada and the Common Front for Social Justice’s data.
2
1. Worker at $9.50/hr (40 hrs per week)
with a spouse and 2 children
INCOME EXPENSES
• Wages $19 760 • Shelter $8,712
• Payroll deductions $1 377 • Power $1,940
• Net income $18 358 • Telephone $360
• Child Care Tax • Car expenses $6,854
Benefit $7 475 • Childcare $3,118
• GST benefit $772 • Clothing $2,586
DISPOSABLE INCOME $26 605 • Personal care $1,016
This family lacks $7,600 and • Food $9,674
TOTAL EXPENSES $34,260
will cut into its food budget
3
2. Single mom with a 9-year old son
INCOME EXPENSES
• Wages $17,290 • Shelter $8,004
• Deductions $2,365 • Power $1,506
• Net income $14,925 • Telephone $360
• Child Care Tax • Car expenses $6,854
Benefit $3,985 • Childcare $3,118
• GST return $639 • Clothing $1,293
DISPOSABLE INCOME $19,549 • Personal care $1, 016
• Food $2,933
She is short by $5,500 and TOTAL EXPENSES 25 084 $
may cut on food expenses
(detrimental to her son)
4
3. A 55-year old woman
living alone on social assistance
INCOME EXPENSES
• Social assistance $6,444
• Room at $325/mo .$3,900
• GST return • Telephone
$253 $360
DISPOSABLE INCOME $6, 697• Travel (Bus passes) $696
• Clothing $565
She is short by over • Personal care $1,016
$2,400 and cannot afford • Food $2,573
an apartment nor proper
TOTAL EXPENSES $9,110
food so she goes to a food
bank
4. A 75 year-old woman with old age
pension + gararanteed income suppl.
INCOME EXPENSES
• Pension + suppl. $15,088 • Shelter $7,740
• GST return $386 • Power $1,107
• Telephone $360
DISPOSABLE INCOME $15, 474
• Bus pass + taxis $936
She is short by $263 because of • Clothing $565
medical expenses (She needs 8 • Prescription drugs $1,440
• Personal care $1,016
pills per day (50% of seniors • Food $2,573
take 5 medicationor more/day) TOTAL EXPENSES S15,737
6Overall, many low-income people are
worried about their food intake
These four scenarios show that
certain groups do not have enough
money to buy nutritious food;
These calculations are conservative
because there is nothing included
for health care, leisure, newspapers
and books, educational activities
and insurance payments.
7Impact of poverty on health1
Health status is worse for those with lower
incomes and this was demonstrated in 16
studies conducted in four different countries;
A national survey indicates that 73 % of
Canadians in the highest income group rated
their health as excellent while only 47% of
Canadians in the lowest income group
reported excellent health.
1 Source: Shelley Phipps. 2003. The Impact of Poverty on Health
8Disease frequency (Source: Phipps, 2003)
Chronic diseases are much more common in
the poorest regions of Canada:
– 10.1% of adults between 15 and 64 years
old living in the Maritimes reported high
blood pressure versus a national average
of 6.8%;
– 17.0% of children from the Maritimes
suffered from asthma, compared to 12.7%
for children’s national average.
9Three major effects of malnutrition
1. Difficiencies in protein, vitamins and minerals
(iron, zinc, vitamins A, B6, B12, C and folates)
lower the level of antibodies, making people
more prone to various infections, the flu, etc.
2. An iron defficiency reduces the size and color
of red blood cells, thus lowering oxygen
transport to tissues (this leads to fatigue,
muscle weakness, drop in productivity, etc.);
3. A lack of calcium is associated with calcium
withdrawal from bones (fragile, and less dense)
10Infant mortality rate in Canada
14
Mortality rate per 1,000 birth
12%
12
10
8 7.5%
6 4.5%
4
2
0
Highest income Lowest-income Aboriginal
urban urban population
neighbourhoods neighbourhoods
11• In the U.K., a 10-year difference in life
expectancy was observed between rich and
poor neighbourhood;
• Income increase is associated with improved
health status, especially among the poorest;
• Countries with the narrowest income gap are
those where the population is in better health
• Our elected politicians would improve the
health of our population if they increased the
taxes of the wealthy to provide a better social
safety net for those who are the poorest.
12Effets of malnutrition
throughout the life cycle
Elderly Baby
person
Child
Woman with
poor health Pregnant
Adolescent
status woman
13Higher
Malnutrition mortality
of mother rate
Set-back in
during mental
pregnancy development
Baby
with low birth
weight
Poverty in the early
Increased risk of chronic years is detrimental
disease during adulthood to health 14Inadequate
Baby with diet
low birth
weight Frequent
infections
Enfant
with retarded
growth
Reduced mental
Poor health
ability
15Inadequate
diet
Child with
retarded
growth Insufficient
health care
Adolescent
with retarded
growth
Reduced mental
ability Poor health
16Inadequate
diet
Adolescent
with retarded Insufficient
growth health care
Pregnancy
with insufficient
weight gain
High maternal
mortality rate
Poor health
17Adult in
poor health Inadequate
diet
Elderly person
in poor health
18Nutritional status of elderly people
Study by Dr Lita Villalon based on 340 Moncton seniors1
Over 60% of seniors living ate home consume
less that the number of food portions
recommended by the Canada Food Guide for:
Dairy products
Fruit and vegettables
Cereal products
1Published in Port Acadie, 18-19, fall 2010, spring 2011
19Nutritional status of seniors (continued)
Calcium, zinc and vitamin D intakes
were insufficient in the case of 80%
of seniors;
Low intakes of calcium, vitamin D,
folates and zinc should concern us;
Calcium, vitamin D and folates are
associated with healthy bones and
cardiovascular health.
20Nutritional status of seniors (Continued)
Zinc plays an important role in the
immune system; a difficiency may
cause alterations in mental capacity,
a loss of appetite or diarrhea;
Among the 340 seniors studied, 80%
had at least one chronic health
problem;
Three health problems or more were
noted in 33 %, of the cases.
21Conclusion
Many individus and families in New Brunswick
do not have enough money to eat healthily.
Research shows clearly that low income
people are in poorer health: they are sick
more often, levels of infant mortality are
higher, life expectancy is shorter, etc.
The negative impacts of malnutrition are
carried throughout the life cycle, especially
during the senior years.
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