Final answer:
Individuals with cystic fibrosis suffer from impaired fat absorption leading to essential fatty acid deficiencies, malnutrition, and the loss of calcium, resulting in various health issues including dry skin, poor wound healing, and growth impairments in children.
Step-by-step explanation:
People with health conditions like cystic fibrosis, an autosomal recessive genetic disease, often have complications with fat absorption due to the production of sticky mucus that clogs the digestive organs. This impairment can lead to an inability to absorb essential fatty acids and other nutrients, resulting in a deficiency. Deficient individuals may experience symptoms such as dry and scaly skin, poor wound healing, increased susceptibility to infections, and impaired growth in children. Moreover, due to hydrolysis where fat absorption is impaired, free fatty acids form and bind with calcium, creating insoluble compounds called calcium soap, resulting in the loss of calcium through feces.
The damage to digestive system organs, especially the small intestine which is lined with cells that have microvilli specialized in nutrient absorption, exacerbates the risk of malnutrition and digestive symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, and greasy stool. The consequences of malabsorption in cystic fibrosis patients highlight the importance of monitoring their diet and potentially supplementing with vitamins and essential fatty acids to prevent deficiencies and maintain health.