For Malnourishment Awareness Week, ABC-7 spoke with a local medical expert to shares the signs of malnourishment and how it impacts the health of children and adults.
Malnourishment doesn’t just mean being underweight, but it can also include obesity and being overweight.
Board certified nurse practitioner Liza Shwarz at at Hillside Primary Care says she’s seen a rise of obese adults here in El Paso.
Being malnourished can mean you’re either not getting enough calories and proper nutrients, or you’re having too many calories and not the right nutrients.
Shwarz shares what she believes is contributing to the rise of malnourishment.
“You know, a lot of us are running around unprepared, grabbing food where we need to, and most of it is not healthy food, not having the options that or accessibility to healthier foods,” she says. “Because we don’t plan, because we’re busy. We’re a busy culture.”
But families can take many steps to improve that like replacing sugary drinks with water, cooking more at home, and adding more vegetables in your diet.
Signs of malnourishment in kids can look like:
Slow growth and learning
Difficulty focusing in school
Tiredness and behavioral issues
And signs in adults include:
Fatigue
Low immunity and frequent illnesses
Low libido and decreased testosterone
Lean proteins, healthy whole grains, good fats, fruits, are all foods that help you become well-nourished.