Certain basic nutrients are required to maintain good health. The energy yielding nutrients are proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Dietary fibbers, vitamins and minerals such as calcium, iron, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium are other essential supplements.
Apart from these, certain micronutrients such as chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, sulpur, zinc and so on are also required to keep the immune balance, haemopoetic system and maintain optimal health. All these nutritional supplements are essential at an appropriate quantity for maintaining health, enhancing immunity and speed up healing processes.
Lack of essential nutrients in the body lead to diseases. Most of nutrients are readily available in the food. During certain phases of life like pregnancy, after major illnesses, the requirement of the nutrients will be different. If there is inadequate supply, it may lead to disorders such as babies with low birth weight, osteoporosis. There are also certain conditions where in the absorption of these nutrients get hampered leading to deficiencies. Thus, the quantitative or qualitative deficiency or inability to absorb the essential nutrients leads to malnutrition.
Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) contributes to 60% of the total 10 million deaths of children of less than five years. Two forms of PEM are kwashiorkor and marasmus, and they commonly coexist. Anaemia is another nutritional disorder.
Vitamins are another category of nutrients required for proper development and growth. Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of blindness in children.
Fluorosis is a condition resulting due to ingestion of large amounts of fluorine when the drinking water contains fluorides in excess of 3-5 ppm. Fluorides are present in the environment. Excessive systemic exposure to fluorides can lead to disturbances of bone homeostasis (skeletal fluorosis) and enamel development (dental/enamel fluorosis).