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ABHYAS PREP: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (UPSC AND MPSC) · NUTRITION

Deficiency diseases

Which missing vitamin or mineral causes which disease.

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Worked examples

Example 1 · level 1

Deficiency of Protein (in young children) causes:

  1. kwashiorkor (swollen belly and limbs)
  2. pernicious anaemia
  3. scurvy (bleeding, spongy gums)
  4. iron-deficiency anaemia
Show solution
  1. Protein (in young children): kwashiorkor (swollen belly and limbs).
  2. Iron: iron-deficiency anaemia.
  3. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid): scurvy (bleeding, spongy gums).
  4. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin): pernicious anaemia.
  5. Source: https://ncert.nic.in/textbook.php

Answer: kwashiorkor (swollen belly and limbs)

Example 2 · level 2

A lack of which nutrient causes slow blood clotting, so wounds keep bleeding?

  1. Iodine
  2. Vitamin D
  3. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
  4. Vitamin K
Show solution
  1. Vitamin K: slow blood clotting, so wounds keep bleeding.
  2. Vitamin D: rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults (the body makes it in sunlight).
  3. Iodine: goitre (swelling of the thyroid gland) (why salt is iodised).
  4. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid): scurvy (bleeding, spongy gums).
  5. Source: https://ncert.nic.in/textbook.php

Answer: Vitamin K

Example 3 · level 3

Consider the following pairs (Nutrient : Deficiency disease): 1. Vitamin D : goitre (swelling of the thyroid gland) 2. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) : rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults 3. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) : night blindness How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

  1. Only one pair
  2. Only two pairs
  3. All three pairs
  4. None of the pairs
Show solution
  1. Pair 1 is wrong: Vitamin D is not goitre (swelling of the thyroid gland). Vitamin D: rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults (the body makes it in sunlight).
  2. Pair 2 is wrong: Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is not rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin): pernicious anaemia.
  3. Pair 3 is wrong: Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is not night blindness. Vitamin B1 (thiamine): beriberi.
  4. So 0 of the 3 pairs are correctly matched.
  5. Source: https://ncert.nic.in/textbook.php

Answer: None of the pairs

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