Department of Physiology, Federal University of São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 862, Edifício de Ciências Biomédicas, 2°andar CEP 04023-060 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2011 Jun;8(6):1817-46. doi: 10.3390/ijerph8061817. Epub 2011 May 26.
Undernutrition is one of the most important public health problems, affecting more than 900 million individuals around the World. It is responsible for the highest mortality rate in children and has long-lasting physiologic effects, including an increased susceptibility to fat accumulation mostly in the central region of the body, lower fat oxidation, lower resting and postprandial energy expenditure, insulin resistance in adulthood, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and a reduced capacity for manual work, among other impairments. Marked changes in the function of the autonomic nervous system have been described in undernourished experimental animals. Some of these effects seem to be epigenetic, passing on to the next generation. Undernutrition in children has been linked to poor mental development and school achievement as well as behavioural abnormalities. However, there is still a debate in the literature regarding whether some of these effects are permanent or reversible. Stunted children who had experienced catch-up growth had verbal vocabulary and quantitative test scores that did not differ from children who were not stunted. Children treated before 6 years of age in day-hospitals and who recovered in weight and height have normal body compositions, bone mineral densities and insulin production and sensitivity.
营养不良是最重要的公共卫生问题之一，影响着全球超过 9 亿人。它是导致儿童死亡率最高的原因，并且具有长期的生理影响，包括增加身体中部脂肪堆积的易感性、降低脂肪氧化、降低静息和餐后能量消耗、成年期胰岛素抵抗、高血压、血脂异常和体力劳动能力降低等。在营养不良的实验动物中已经描述了自主神经系统功能的明显变化。其中一些影响似乎是表观遗传的，会传递给下一代。儿童营养不良与精神发育不良和学业成绩差以及行为异常有关。然而，文献中仍存在一些争议，即这些影响是否是永久性的或可逆转的。经历追赶生长的发育迟缓儿童的语言词汇和定量测试分数与未发育迟缓的儿童没有差异。在日间医院接受治疗且体重和身高恢复正常的儿童，其身体成分、骨矿物质密度和胰岛素分泌及敏感性均正常。
