Explain the Changes in Body Tissue Compartments - Underweight?
The severity of nutritional deprivation determines the extent of changes in the body tissue compartments. The first casualties in moderate under nutrition are mainly the visceral proteins and muscle cell mass without any change in body fat. In severe undernutrition, losses of both muscle cell mass and body fat occur to a significant degree. Anthropometric measures and laboratory determination of protein status can predict the extent of changes in the body tissue compartments. A number of micronutrient deficiencies may occur in individuals who are underweight because of the less quantity of food ingested. A starving patient has inelastic skin, slow pulse, low blood pressure, marked emaciation and progressive loss of weight.