The research analyzes the impact of malnutrition on mental concentration, a significant cognitive ability in an individual. It is assumed that malnutrition would significantly affect the mental capacity to think and pay proper attention to a given subject matter, a phenomenon that is consistent with past research on the impact of food deficiency. The study is significant as it sheds light on an essential aspect of the positive effect of proper nutrition and food intake. It is a literature review research type of paper that analyses past research undertaken by scholars on this critical topic of the impact of malnutrition on mental concentration.
Research Plan
The research will be undertaken by reviewing past research on the impact of under-nutrition on cognitive abilities and children, women, and middle-aged adults. The plan will include reading and analyzing through primary research articles, scholarly articles, nutrition books, psychology books on cognitive development.
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Possible Conclusion
The brain requires nutrients to function wholly and develop necessary cognitive skills. The most probable conclusion will involve details on the negative impact of malnutrition on cognitive abilities and especially mental concentration.
The Impact of Malnutrition on Mental Concentration
Introduction
Multiple issues cause disruptions on one's ability to pay close attention to a task at hand. They may include psychological disorders, health complications, environmental factors, noise, and maybe headaches ( Chinyoka, 2014) . To a significant variation, an individual can control some of these factors that lead to reduced concentrations. For example, it is easy to move away from a noisy room to a serene environment to improve one's attention. However, how does one handle factors that arise from the need for basic things such as food? Is it possible to have a focused and robust level of concentration if one is on a poor diet or malnourished?
The brain depends on food nutrients such as sugar to maintain a consistent blood glucose level that is critical for strong mental ability. According to the glucostatic hypothesis, an individual experiences hunger if blood-glucose drops down to unwarranted levels ( Chinyoka, 2014) . After eating the right balance and a sufficient diet, their blood-glucose level returns to normal. The primary purpose why, after eating a proper diet, the blood-glucose gets back to its average level is because the brain depends entirely on glucose as its energy supplier ( Kamath, Venkatappa & Sparshadeep, 2017) . Early research on the impact of malnutrition revealed that one is prone to low heart rate, irritability, depressive moods, and slanginess — the above point to the inability to hold one's focus on a particular issue.
According to past research, fasting of more than 36 hours reduces one's heart rate, increases irritability, and produces weak muscles. Despite concerted efforts by nutritionists and psychologists on the impact of proper nutrition on mental abilities, little research and studies have paid close attention to the same ( Chinyoka, 2014) . The situation has left great room for increased and concerted research on the impact of malnutrition on cognitive abilities. According to one study, going without breakfast has a negative effect on multiple cognitive skills, such as decision making. Other research revealed that going for over twenty-four hours without food may have a significant impact on one's cognition. Much of the studies concentrated on children, women, and the sick ( Kamath et al., 2017) . Little research has paid close attention to college-going students, adolescents, and middle-aged adults. Most studies have revealed that short-term fasting or malnutrition has an insignificant impact on cognitive abilities.
Studies by Garden for Health International revealed that by the age of two, a child's brain had reached the level of that of an adult. Thus it is essential to incorporate proper nutrition into a child's diet to improve their cognitive abilities ( Chinyoka, 2014) . The report concluded that for the brain to reach its full growth potential, it is essential to feed a child on a proper diet to help in the development of their enzyme activity, growth of neurotransmitters, hormones, and metabolic functions ( Galler et al., 2013) . Proper nutrition also plays a critical role in the growth of cells. A study that aimed at comparing Indian children's cognitive ability, found that under malnourished children had numerous challenges that included low school engagement, school performance, weak cognitive skills, and high chances of disciplinary actions. The results of the study were consistent with reports on low school performance and attendance by malnourished children.
Garden for Health International further concluded in its report that impaired growth is as a result of malnutrition and poor diet ( Kamath et al., 2017) . The studies emphasized that poor nutrition during a child's first two years is essential for cognitive development. The studies concluded that malnourished children reach adulthood lacking in vital cognitive abilities and potential that are detrimental to their livelihood later in life. Chinyoka (2014) argues that , animal research has indicated that malnutrition is the number one leading factor in the reduced number of dendrites, synapses, neurons, and reactive areas. Despite increased size in volume and weight, there is always a stubborn reduction in synapses and dendritic cells. A change in the hi-pocampus often linked to short term memory is permanent ( Galler et al., 2013) . Noted challenges among malnourished teenagers do consist of impulsiveness, stressful situations, reduced abilities to adjust to strenuous conditions, increased anxiety, and reduced motivation and personality disorders. These may often lead to poor school performance, emotional, and social development.
The fetal brain does undergo rapid growth in the third trimester. In the first year, an infant's brain increases in size from 350g to 100g. Growth is rapid again in the second and third years, a time in which the brain manages to reach up to 80 percent of its adult size ( Kamath, et al., 2017) . Most cognitive abilities that develop during this period include intelligence, language, and vision. However, it is essential to note that brain development is a concept that starts at conception ( Chinyoka, 2014) .
Deficiencies in specific elements and vitamins often result in neurologic deficits. They include Vitamins A, C, D, E, and B6. Other nutrients include magnesium, copper, selenium, zinc, iron, iodine, and folic acid. One of the essential nutrients for the development of mental abilities is iodine ( Chinyoka, 2014) . Lack of folic acid deficiencies lead to cleft lips, neural tube defects, meningocele, and encephalocele. Iron deficiency is the leading cause of anemia, and it does have a risky impact on a child's developmental maturation, and psychomotor. Zinc, on the other hand, has over 200 vital enzymes that are critical for metabolic pathways. Breastfeeding has a strong effect on behavior and cognition. Galler et al. (2013) argue that breastfeeding that supplies numerous nutrients to a child has the potential impact of better scores, better cognitive development, few neurological abnormalities, better cognitive growth, and developmental advantage.
Malnutrition has a strong negative impact on the development of a child's cognitive development. Galler et al. (2013) indicate that under-nutrition is the leading cause of behavioral deficits over a child's development and that the deficiency, timing, severity play a significant determinant in a child's development and especially cognitive growth and maturity. Proper nutrition, well-being, and health are lifelong processes; however, malnutrition has a negative impact on one's mental concentration and ability.
Annotated Bibliography
Kamath, S. M., Venkatappa, K. G., & Sparshadeep, E. M. (2017). Impact of nutritional status on cognition in institutionalized orphans: a pilot study. Journal of clinical and diagnostic research: JCDR , 11 (3), CC01. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5427301/
Kamath, Venkatappa, and Sparshadeep (2017) assessed the cognitive and nutritional status in institutionalized children that could play a role in formulating efficient intervention measures towards enhancing the nutritional position of vulnerable children in years to come. The study concluded that children aged six to sixteen often have higher chances of cognitive delay in comparison to children with proper nutrition. The research provided a unique insight that augments the present study on diet and cognitive development. It is essential as it allows for the importance and meaning of proper or good nutrition that is critical to the lifelong development of a child. The research is relevant to the on-going study and above literature as it provides a learning potential for the role of nutrition in a child’s life.
Chinyoka, K. (2014). Impact of poor nutrition on the academic performance of grade seven learners: a case of Zimbabwe. children , 4 (3). https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.684.8200&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Chinyoka (2014) examined the significant effect of malnutrition or poor nutrition on the school performance of grade seven students in Zimbabwe. The primary objective of the study was to recognize the measures and mitigation strategies for reducing the negative impact of poor nutrition on students' school performance. According to the research, malnutrition is the number one obstacle to child cognitive development and growth. The research established that undernourished and hungry students could not take on sporting or physical work and is unlikely to attend to their studies. It thus impacts negatively on a child's concentration and general learning abilities. The source is relevant to the on-going research on the impact of malnutrition on the cognitive skills of a child and their general mental abilities. The study is appropriate as it undertook a direct study from students through observation, interviews, group discussions, and analysis.
Galler, J. R., Bryce, C. P., Zichlin, M. L., Waber, D. P., Exner, N., Fitzmaurice, G. M., & Costa, P. T. (2013). Malnutrition in the first year of life and personality at age 40. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry , 54 (8), 911-919. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3686988/
According to Galler et al. (2013) childhood malnutrition is linked to behavioral and cognitive impairment during a child's early development and teenage. The study focused on adults of 37 to 43 years of age who had gone through severe protein-energy malnutrition. The study analyzed and observed adults under control who were malnourished over a documented period of twelve years. The results indicated that previously undernourished adults suffered neuroticism and scored lowly on conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness, and extraversion. The study concluded that limited malnutrition one's cognitive development during the first years of their life. The research is relevant as it offers an insight into the impact of hunger on one's mental abilities that included personality traits and mental attitude towards a wide range of subjects.
References
Chinyoka, K. (2014). Impact of poor nutrition on the academic performance of grade seven learners: a case of Zimbabwe. children , 4 (3). https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.684.8200&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Galler, J. R., Bryce, C. P., Zichlin, M. L., Waber, D. P., Exner, N., Fitzmaurice, G. M., & Costa, P. T. (2013). Malnutrition in the first year of life and personality at age 40. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry , 54 (8), 911-919. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3686988/
Kamath, S. M., Venkatappa, K. G., & Sparshadeep, E. M. (2017). Impact of nutritional status on cognition in institutionalized orphans: a pilot study. Journal of clinical and diagnostic research: JCDR , 11 (3), CC01. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5427301/
