Starvation is a severe reduction in vitamin, nutrient, and energy intake. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage, and eventually death. The term inanition refers to the symptoms and effects of starvation.
According to the World Health Organization, hunger is the gravest single threat to the world's public health. The WHO also states that malnutrition is by far the biggest cont...
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Starvation is a severe reduction in vitamin, nutrient, and energy intake. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage, and eventually death. The term inanition refers to the symptoms and effects of starvation.
According to the World Health Organization, hunger is the gravest single threat to the world's public health. The WHO also states that malnutrition is by far the biggest contributor to child mortality, present in half of all cases. According to the FAO, starvation currently affects more than one billion people or 1 in 6 people.
The basic cause of starvation is an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. In other words: the body expends more energy than it takes in as food. This imbalance can arise from one or more medical conditions and/or circumstantial situations, which can include:
Medical causes
Circumstantial causes
Individuals experiencing starvation lose substantial fat (adipose) and muscle...
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