Ashima Sharda Mahindra • 02 Sep 2024
Rising Malnutrition in American Children Causing Scurvy, Troubling Data Reveals
It was thought to have disappeared in the 1900s once it was discovered that eating a more well-balanced prevented it
A centuries-old disease, linked to malnutrition is on the rise among children in the United States, troubling data has revealed. The rate of scurvy - caused by a serious vitamin C deficiency that causes teeth to fall out along with severe pain – has tripled between 2016 and 2020, from around eight in every 100,000 kids to nearly 27.
According to the health data, millions of children in rural America live in food deserts - neighborhoods where there is limited access to healthy, fresh food - who are especially vulnerable. But while diet is a major contributor to scurvy, experts say there are other factors in play - including rising rates of autism in minors.
Scurvy can be traced as far back as 3,800 BC Egypt. In modern history, scurvy was documented in the 1500s and more than 2 million sailors died from the condition between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was thought to have disappeared in the 1900s once it was discovered that eating a more well-balanced seemed to prevent it.
How did scurvy reemerge in the US?
Experts say the disease – found extensively in fruits like oranges and strawberries, apart from chili peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes, had a resurgence in the 1970s when the American diet became more carb-based and less dependent on fresh fruits and vegetables.
Vitamin C makes collagen - a major building block for the skin, bones, ligaments, blood, muscles and cartilage. Without it, your body’s healing ability slows down, causing bleeding gums and loosened teeth, scaly skin, brittle hair, bleeding underneath the skin, muscle fatigue, anemia, and bruising.
Scurvy can also cause swollen legs and pain so severe children may refuse to walk.
Nutritional deficiencies at an all-time high
According to the USDA data, 17 per cent of American households with children faced food insecurity in 2022, a staggering 40 per cent rise from the previous year. Statistics say more than half a million deaths per year across the world are linked to nutritional deficiencies.
Children with autism account for more than half of the cases
A study by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons says that children with autism spectrum disorder account for 65 per cent of scurvy cases. Most children who have autism are very choosy and selective about the food they eat and show massive behavioral problems during mealtimes.
For doctors, scurvy is seen as a ‘disease of the past’ and so, they tend to overlook its symptoms.
Signs and symptoms of scurvy
According to experts, the symptoms of scurvy start developing after a few months of not getting enough vitamin C in your diet. The first symptoms may include general weakness, fatigue, irritability, and joint pains. If left untreated, more severe symptoms may develop, which include:
- Anemia
- Swollen and bleeding gums which soon turn purple
- Loosened teeth that may fall out
- Skin hemorrhages
- Easily bruised skin
- Rough and scaly skin
- Swollen legs
- Slow healing of wounds
- Dry, brittle hair
- Loss of appetite
- Failure to gain weight
Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Health and around the world.