# Why malnutrition can go unnoticed, and what that means for our health

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/why-malnutrition-can-go-unnoticed-and-what-that-means-for-our-health/
- Published: 2026-11-10T05:48:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-10T06:21:33+00:00
- Original publisher: DW (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.dw.com/en/why-malnutrition-can-go-unnoticed-and-what-that-means-for-our-health/a-79871016?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
- Topics: World

## Key points

- Nutrient deficiencies can cause serious harm before symptoms are noticed.
- About 2 billion people worldwide experience hidden hunger.
- Poverty and unbalanced diets can raise deficiency risks.

## Summary

Malnutrition can remain unnoticed for months or years, as a person may get enough calories while missing essential vitamins or minerals. By the time symptoms emerge, deficiencies such as low vitamin B12 can have caused lasting nerve damage, while other effects include bone and muscle problems, thyroid disruption and impaired brain development in babies.

The article distinguishes undernutrition, caused by prolonged insufficient food, from “hidden hunger”, which affects about 2 billion people worldwide; the FAO estimates 645 million experience chronic undernutrition. It cites estimates that malnutrition contributes to 50,000 deaths a year in Germany, where roughly a third of people had vitamin D deficiency and a third insufficient iodine intake. Poverty, diets heavy in low-nutrient processed foods and depression can increase deficiency risks; the supplied article text ends mid-sentence while discussing older people.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.