What are deficiency diseases Grade 6?

December 6, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malnutrition—including nutritional deficiencies—remains a significant global health problem, particularly affecting children. In simple terms, deficiency diseases are illnesses that happen when your body doesn't get enough of certain important nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, over a long period of time.

Quick Summary

Deficiency diseases are illnesses caused by a long-term lack of essential nutrients in the diet. Common types include scurvy, rickets, and anemia, which can be prevented by eating a balanced diet with a variety of healthy foods.

Key Points

Definition of Deficiency Diseases: These illnesses are caused by a long-term lack of essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, or proteins in your diet.
Common Vitamin Deficiencies: A lack of Vitamin A causes night blindness, Vitamin C causes scurvy, and Vitamin D can lead to rickets.
Key Mineral Deficiencies: Insufficient iron results in anemia (weakness and fatigue), while an iodine deficiency can cause goitre (swelling in the neck).
Causes of Deficiencies: Reasons include poor dietary choices, medical conditions that prevent nutrient absorption, and consuming overly-processed foods.
Prevention is Key: The most effective way to prevent these diseases is by eating a balanced diet rich in a variety of fruits, vegetables, proteins, and fortified foods.
Balanced Diet is a Cure: The treatment for most deficiency diseases involves introducing the missing nutrient back into the diet, often through healthier food choices or supplements under a doctor's supervision.

What Causes Deficiency Diseases?

For Grade 6 students, understanding the cause of deficiency diseases is simple: it all comes down to what you eat. Your body is like a machine that needs different types of fuel to run properly. This fuel comes from the nutrients in your food, such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. When your diet consistently lacks one or more of these essential building blocks, your body can't perform all of its functions, leading to a deficiency disease.

Several factors can contribute to nutritional deficiencies, including a diet low in necessary nutrients, medical conditions affecting nutrient absorption, and the loss of nutrients during food processing. Sometimes, the body's increased need for nutrients during periods like growth spurts can also lead to a deficiency if not met.

Common Types of Deficiency Diseases for Grade 6

Learning about specific deficiency diseases helps understand the importance of different nutrients. These conditions are often grouped by the missing nutrient.

Vitamin Deficiency Diseases

Vitamins are crucial for various bodily functions. Examples of conditions caused by a lack of vitamins include Night Blindness (Vitamin A deficiency affecting eyesight), Beriberi (Vitamin B1 deficiency impacting the nervous and circulatory systems), Scurvy (Vitamin C deficiency leading to issues with gums and healing), and Rickets (Vitamin D deficiency causing weak bones).

Mineral Deficiency Diseases

Minerals are essential for building bones, producing blood cells, and other vital roles. Anemia is a common condition resulting from insufficient iron, causing fatigue. Goitre, an enlargement of the thyroid gland, can be caused by iodine deficiency, which is preventable with iodized salt. A lack of calcium, particularly in growing years, can impact bone density.

Protein-Energy Malnutrition

Kwashiorkor and Marasmus are severe forms of malnutrition, often seen in young children in developing regions, caused by insufficient protein and calories. Kwashiorkor can cause swelling, while Marasmus leads to severe weight loss.

Comparison of Key Nutrient Deficiencies

Here is a table summarizing some important nutrient deficiencies:


Nutrient	Function	Deficiency Condition	Common Symptoms
Vitamin A	Supports vision, skin, and immunity.	Night Blindness	Poor vision in dim light, difficulty adapting to darkness.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)	Provides energy and keeps the nervous system healthy.	Beriberi	Weak muscles and fatigue.
Vitamin C	Promotes healthy gums, skin, and wound healing.	Scurvy	Bleeding gums, slow-healing wounds, and joint pain.
Vitamin D	Helps absorb calcium for strong bones and teeth.	Rickets	Soft, weak, and bent bones.
Iron	Helps produce red blood cells and carry oxygen.	Anemia	Weakness, fatigue, pale skin, and dizziness.
Iodine	Supports thyroid gland function and proper growth.	Goitre	Swelling of the thyroid gland in the neck.

Prevention and Treatment

The best defense against deficiency diseases is prevention through a balanced diet rich in diverse foods. For Grade 6 students, this means eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, getting some sunlight for Vitamin D, using iodized salt, and limiting processed foods. If a deficiency is suspected, consulting a doctor is important before taking supplements.

For more information on healthy eating and nutrient needs, resources like KidsHealth provide useful guidance.

Conclusion

Understanding what are deficiency diseases for Grade 6 involves recognizing the vital role of a balanced diet. These conditions, caused by a lack of essential nutrients, are largely preventable. By making informed food choices and ensuring your body gets the necessary vitamins, minerals, and proteins, you can maintain good health and avoid these illnesses. This knowledge is a fundamental step toward lifelong wellness.

Frequently Asked Questions

A deficiency disease is an illness that happens when your body doesn't get enough of a certain nutrient, like a specific vitamin or mineral, for a long time.

Some common examples for Grade 6 students include night blindness (Vitamin A), scurvy (Vitamin C), rickets (Vitamin D), and anemia (iron).

They are caused by an unbalanced diet that lacks specific nutrients, medical conditions preventing nutrient absorption, or consuming too many processed foods that have lost their nutritional value.

A balanced diet contains the right amounts of all essential nutrients, including carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Eating a variety of foods ensures your body gets everything it needs to function correctly, preventing deficiencies.

Yes, most deficiency diseases can be treated by consuming the missing nutrient. This can be done through a healthy, balanced diet or, in some cases, with medical supplements prescribed by a doctor.

Water-soluble vitamins (like Vitamin C and B vitamins) dissolve in water and are not stored in the body, so you need them regularly. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) dissolve in fat and are stored in the body's fatty tissues.

Your skin produces Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. A lack of Vitamin D is a common cause of rickets, which weakens bones, so spending time outdoors is a great way to prevent this.