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undernutrition
noun
un·der·nu·tri·tion
ˌən-dər-nu̇-ˈtri-shən
-nyu̇-
: deficient bodily nutrition due to inadequate food intake or faulty assimilation
Examples of undernutrition in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Stunting in Children Under Five Stunting is a form of growth failure that develops over time in children under 5 years due to chronic undernutrition and lack of access to sufficient food and healthcare.
—Sarah Jividen, Health, 26 Oct. 2024
One of the most common causes of niacin deficiency is undernutrition.
—Brittany Lubeck, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 1 Aug. 2024
Half of all children who die before the age of five do so because of undernutrition.
—Sarah Bleich, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2020
Some recipients of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children may be turned away from stores as early as next week, said Geri Henchy, director of nutrition policy at Food Research & Action Center, a nonprofit organization for eradicating hunger and undernutrition.
—Laura Reiley, Washington Post, 27 Sep. 2023
Researchers also noted that improvement in reducing children’s poverty – which is specifically linked to undernutrition and lack of schooling – lagged behind gains for adults, and that better data will enhance the ability to track and intercept the conditions that contribute to poverty.
—Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Aug. 2023
The risk of hypothermia and serious respiratory infections threaten children whose immune systems are often already weakened from undernutrition.
—Forbes, 10 Feb. 2023
The number of children grappling with various forms of undernutrition in Sri Lanka increased for the first time in at least six years in 2022, a government report and data from the health ministry indicate.
—Fox News, 18 Jan. 2023
Like many middle-income countries, Mexico has seen the health risks associated with overconsumption surpass the health risks of undernutrition.
—Greg Miller, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2019
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Word History
First Known Use
1876, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near undernutrition
Cite this Entry
“Undernutrition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undernutrition. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
Medical Definition
undernutrition
noun
un·der·nu·tri·tion
-n(y)u̇-ˈtrish-ən
: deficient bodily nutrition due to inadequate food intake or faulty assimilation
called also hyponutrition
More from Merriam-Webster on undernutrition
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about undernutrition
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