Román Gustavo C
Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College and Nantz National Alzheimer Center, Methodist Neurological Institute, Houston, TX, USA.
Handb Clin Neurol. 2013;114:381-404. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-53490-3.00030-3.
About three-fourths of the total world population live in the tropics but consume only 6% of worldwide food production and contribute 15% of the world's net revenue explaining the short life expectancy, high infantile mortality, and poor daily caloric intake; moreover, lack of clean drinking water and deficient sanitation promote water-borne infections, diarrhea, and risk of malabsorption that contribute to the prevalence of malnutrition in the tropics. One-third of the world's population consumes insufficient iodine increasing the risk for mental retardation and deafness due to maternal hypothyroidism. The main nutritional syndromes comprise protein-energy malnutrition (marasmus and kwashiorkor); nutritional neuropathies, myelopathies and neuromyelopathies, as well as specific deficiencies of vitamins and micronutrients including iodine, iron, zinc, and selenium.
全球约四分之三的人口生活在热带地区，但他们仅消耗全球粮食产量的6%，贡献全球净收入的15%，这也解释了热带地区人均寿命短、婴儿死亡率高和每日热量摄入不足的现象；此外，缺乏清洁饮用水和卫生条件差会引发水源性感染、腹泻以及吸收不良风险，这些都导致了热带地区营养不良的普遍存在。全球三分之一的人口碘摄入不足，这增加了因母亲甲状腺功能减退而导致智力发育迟缓及耳聋的风险。主要的营养综合征包括蛋白质 - 能量营养不良（消瘦症和夸希奥科病）；营养性神经病变、脊髓病和神经脊髓病，以及维生素和微量营养素（包括碘、铁、锌和硒）的特定缺乏症。
