Digestion and Absorption - Notes | Class 11 | Part 4: Disorders of Digestive System

Disorders of Digestive System

  • Jaundice:
    The skin and eyes turn yellow due to the deposition of bile pigments. It indicates liver damage.
  • Vomiting:
    Ejection of stomach content through the mouth. It is controlled by the medulla oblongata.
  • Diarrhoea:
    Frequent elimination of watery faeces. It reduces the absorption of food.
  • Constipation:
    Infrequent elimination of dry stool. It is due to decreased peristalsis in the colon.
  • Indigestion:
    Condition leading to a feeling of fullness due to improper digestion. It is due to anxiety, inadequate enzyme secretion, food poisoning, spicy food, etc.

  • Protein-Energy Malnutrition (PEM):
    Dietary deficiencies of proteins & food calories.

    PEM causes Marasmus & Kwashiorkor in children.

    • Marasmus: Due to deficiency of both proteins and calories. Found in infants less than a year in age.

      Reason: Replacement of mother’s milk by foods with poor proteins and caloric value. This often happens if the mother has a second pregnancy or childbirth when the older infant is still too young.

      Symptoms: Impaired growth and replacement of tissue proteins; extreme emaciation of the body, thin limbs, dry, thin, and wrinkled skin, declined growth rate and body weight, impaired growth and development of brain and mental faculties.

    • Kwashiorkor: Due to protein deficiency only.

      Reason: Replacement of mother’s milk by a high-calorie, low-protein diet in a child more than one year in age.

      Symptoms: Like Marasmus, it shows wasting of muscles, thinning of limbs, failure of growth & brain development. Unlike Marasmus, some fat is still under the skin; extensive oedema and swelling of body parts are seen.


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