Deficiency disease

Any specific disease or pathological state, with characteristic clinical signs, that is due to an insufficient intake of energy or essential nutrients; it is usually of dietary origin and can often be prevented or cured by bringing the intake up to an adequate level or otherwise changing the diet.

A disease caused by lack of an essential element in the diet such as vitamins or essential amino and fatty acids.

Condition caused by lack of one or more specific nutrients in the diet consumed.

Disorders resulting from lack of some essential nutrients in the diet, such as proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, or vitamins, the latter sometimes called avitaminosis.

Any disease resulting from lack of a vitamin, mineral, or other essential nutrient. Scurvy, rickets, and night blindness are examples of deficiency diseases.

Any disease caused by the lack of an essential nutrient in the diet. Such nutrients include vitamins, essential amino acids, and essential fatty acids.

Any disease resulting from the absence from the diet of any substance essential to good health: for example, one of the vitamins.

A condition due to lack of a substance essential in body metabolism. The deficiency may be due to inadequate intake, digestion, absorption, or use of foods, minerals, water, or vitamins. It may also be due to excess loss through excretion or to an intestinal parasite such as hookworm or tapeworm. Deficiency diseases include night blindness and keratomalacia (caused by lack of vitamin A); beriberi and polyneuritis (lack of thiamine); pellagra (lack of niacin); scurvy (lack of vitamin C); rickets and osteomalacia (lack of vitamin D); pernicious anemia (lack of gastric intrinsic factor and vitamin B12).