So can over-reliance on excessively processed foods. Modern methods of processing and refining foods can sometimes cause a loss of valuable nutrients, as happens in the refining of certain grains, such as rice. However, this danger is recognized by both the government and the manufacturers who try to retain or restore the nutritional value of many foods. People who want to gain or lose weight, or who avoid certain foods, may endanger their health by following an unbalanced diet that lacks essential nutrients. Anyone who plans to follow a special diet should talk the matter over with a Registered Dietitian.
Malnutrition can also stem from disease.
If the organs of the digestive system that transform food into bone, tissue, blood, and energy fail to function properly, the body will not receive adequate nourishment. Such deficiencies can cause certain liver diseases, and some anemias. In general, the symptoms of malnutrition are physical weakness, lassitude, and an increasing sense of detachment from the world. There are also specific symptoms that vary according to the essential substance lacking in the diet. In starvation there are signs of multiple vitamin deficiency.