from Trends in Immunology
Malnutrition is not just about not enough food or lack of healthy foods. Something else may be involved. Researchers Queen Mary University of London report malnourished children are most likely to die from common infections, suggesting defects in the immune system could contribute to the effects of malnutrition—even in children with a healthy diet. Scientists wrote in the journal Trends in Immunology that immune system dysfunction may be related to lack of food, an inability to absorb nutrients effectively or excess of fat and sugar in the diet. They point out that the immune system does not just fight infections; it affects metabolism, neurological function and growth—things also impaired by malnutrition.