Answer: Symptoms
Failure to consume adequate amounts of nutrients can lead to noticeable and measurable physical changes that are symptoms of deficiency disease.
Explanation:
Deficiency diseases are identified by certain symptons that can be discovered by physical examination such as:
- bleeding gums, in the case of scurvy (vitamin C deficiency)
- inability to see at night or in dark areas, as in the case of Night-blindness (Vitamin A deficiency)
- weak bones, as in the case of rickets (vitamin D deficiency).
Thus, symptoms are the changes that are associated with deficiency disease, and are easily noticed and measured.
