Unhealthy Diet Diseases

Numerous diseases are associated with an unhealthy diet. According to the World Health Organization, or WHO, malnutrition and obesity are both significant public health problems. An unhealthy diet is a diet in which you either consume foods that may be high in calories but are deficient in nutrients or a diet in which you do not get enough food. A diet high in calories and low in nutrients is common in the United States, whereas a lack of food, and the problems that accompany it, are more common in some developing nations.
Kwashiorkor
Kwashiorkor is a disease associated with an unhealthy diet. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), kwashiorkor is a type of malnutrition that manifests when there is insufficient protein in your diet. Kwashiorkor more commonly affects people in parts of the world where there is famine, limited food supply, low levels of education and a lack of public health initiatives. Kwashiorkor often occurs in countries where drought and other natural disasters or political upheaval occurs. Common signs and symptoms associated with kwashiorkor include changes in skin pigment and hair color and texture, reduced muscle mass, diarrhea, failure to grow or gain weight, fatigue, increased infections, irritability, a protruding abdomen or belly, lethargy and swelling. The UMMC states that up to 50 percent of elderly Americans living in retirement homes may not get sufficient protein in their diet.
Pellagra
Pellagra is a disease that is caused by an unhealthy diet. MedlinePlus states that pellagra occurs when you do not get enough niacin–one of the B complex vitamins and an amino acid–in your diet. Pellagra may also be caused by a lack of tryptophan, another amino acid, in your diet or by your body’s failure to absorb these nutrients. Other possible causes of pellagra include certain gastrointestinal diseases and alcoholism. According to MedlinePlus, pellagra is common in parts of the world where people consume large amounts of corn or maize. Common signs and symptoms associated with pellagra include delusions, diarrhea, inflamed mucus membranes, mental confusion and scaly skin sores. Pellagra is most common in Africa, Indonesia and China. In the United States, most people with pellagra are poor, homeless and consume excessive amounts of alcohol.
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease is a condition that may be caused by an unhealthy diet. According to the Cleveland Clinic–one of the top four hospitals in the United States–coronary artery disease is a narrowing or blockage of one or more coronary arteries, which are the arteries that deliver blood to your heart. Coronary artery disease is often caused by atherosclerosis, which is an accumulation of cholesterol and fatty material on the inner walls of your coronary arteries. The MayoClinic states that atherosclerosis is caused by an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, being overweight and smoking. Common signs and symptoms associated with coronary artery disease include angina or chest pain, dyspnea or shortness of breath, heart palpitations, an elevated heart rate, dizziness, nausea, severe weakness and sweating. The Cleveland Clinic notes that coronary heart disease can lead to a heart attack in some individualS.