How do you know you're not eating enough?

Typical signs that you're not eating enough can include feeling tired, getting ill more often, hair loss, or skin problems. While obesity and related conditions are on the rise, the dangers of undereating are relatively overlooked. Undereating can have a range of adverse effects on a person's health and wellbeing.

medicalnewstoday.com - 9 signs and symptoms you're not eating enough - Medical News Today

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In this article, we look at the risks and reasons for undereating. We also highlight nine signs and symptoms to look out for that may indicate a person is undereating. While obesity and related conditions are on the rise, the dangers of undereating are relatively overlooked. Undereating can have a range of adverse effects on a person’s health and wellbeing. Typical signs that you’re not eating enough can include feeling tired, getting ill more often, hair loss, or skin problems. You can determine your BMI using one of our BMI calculators or charts . BMI uses a person’s height and weight to give an approximate indication of whether a person is within a healthy weight range or not. Typically, a BMI of under 18.5 is considered underweight. The primary risk of undereating is becoming underweight. This is typically determined using body mass index ( BMI ). Just under 800 million people worldwide do not have enough food to sustain a healthy lifestyle as a result of their financial position. This is particularly apparent in developing countries, where 12.9 percent of the population is undernourished. Others may undereat as a result of stress , particularly after experiencing a traumatic life event such as the death of a relative or close friend. People may also undereat as a result of depression or other mental health conditions. In other cases, a person might undereat due to an eating disorder or simply without realizing they are doing it. Sometimes people who have an abnormally high metabolism or high levels of physical activity do not eat enough to keep up with their body’s demands. Some people undereat intentionally, often as a result of adhering to restrictive diets or following popular health trends. Sometimes, these diets and trends can be misinterpreted or contain inappropriate nutritional advice, which can lead to undereating.

Signs and symptoms that a person may not be eating enough include:

1. Fatigue

One of the most obvious and widespread symptoms that might indicate that a person may be undereating is constantly feeling tired. A body gets its energy from the calories in the food and drinks a person consumes. The body requires a certain amount of energy calories to function properly. Functions include the basic and automatic bodily processes, such as breathing, as well as more complex processes such as actively thinking. The number of calories needed to maintain a healthy weight will vary from person to person and depends on a variety of factors, such as body size, metabolism, and physical activity levels.

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When someone is undereating, they are consuming fewer calories than their body needs to function correctly. This can have a severe impact on energy levels, causing feelings of physical tiredness and mental fatigue, which may impair a person’s daily functioning. Low energy levels can also have an adverse impact on physical activity performance and fitness. In a 2013 review, researchers found that people with an eating disorder consumed too few calories, which had a negative impact on physical fitness and sports performance.

2. Getting ill more often

Undereating can also lead to an imbalanced diet. This can mean that a person’s body does not receive enough of specific nutrients to maintain a healthy immune system and fight off illnesses. It can also mean that illnesses, such as the common cold, last longer than they should. Maintaining a healthful nutritional intake is particularly important for people who already have a weakened immune system, such as young children or older adults. In one study , researchers found that providing people over the age of 65 with nutritional supplements resulted in significant improvements in the functioning of their immune systems.

3. Hair loss

Undereating can cause hair loss if nutritional intake is not sufficient. In a 2013 review , experts suggested that deficiencies in proteins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and vitamins can cause hair loss or other abnormalities, such as changes in hair color or structure.

4. Reproductive difficulties

When a person’s body is not receiving enough nutrition, it prioritizes which processes to focus on maintaining, such as the life-supporting processes of breathing and blood circulation. As a consequence, sex hormone production can become impaired, which can reduce a person’s desire for sexual activity and can interrupt reproductive processes. Researchers have shown that a diet that contains insufficient calories can have an adverse impact upon reproductive functioning in both males and females. This can prevent pregnancies from occurring.

5. Constantly feeling cold

People require a sufficient level of calories to maintain a healthy body temperature. Consuming too few calories may cause a person’s core body temperature to drop, which can create a constant feeling of being cold. In a 2011 study, researchers found that people who consumed a restricted number of calories had a significantly lower core body temperature than those who consumed more calories.

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6. Impaired growth in young people

Good nutrition is vital to proper development in young people. Undereating can cause nutritional imbalances that impair certain aspects of development, such as healthy bone growth. During puberty, proper nutrition is essential to allow bones to grow and strengthen. Without this, a person might remain permanently smaller or weaker than their peers.

7. Skin problems

Skin problems are another sign that someone may be undereating. If a person’s body does not get a sufficient amount of nutrients, such as vitamin E, it can lead to skin problems. Without enough vitamin E, a person’s skin may become more easily damaged by inflammation or UV exposure.

Other vitamins necessary to maintain healthy skin include vitamin B-3 and niacin.

8. Depression

Depression is a highly complex mental health condition that can have a range of interlinked causes. It is not always possible to determine what is causing a person’s depression, and the condition is not necessarily a sign of malnutrition. However, recent evidence has suggested there may be a link between poor nutrition and depression. In a study of people who were pregnant, researchers found that symptoms of depression were associated with lower intakes of omega-3 fatty acid. In another study that used data from 31,424 adults, the authors found that those with depression had lower vitamin D levels than others.

9. Constipation

Eating too few calories can also lead to constipation. People with constipation experience fewer bowel movements than other people. They may also have harder stools that can be difficult or painful to expel.

medicalnewstoday.com - 9 signs and symptoms you're not eating enough - Medical News Today

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