Shunt merino around after mother left for lack of food (14)

'lack of food' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both states of affairs as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?

'shunt merino around after mother left' is the wordplay.
'around' indicates an anagram.
'after' says to put letters next to each other.
'mother' becomes 'ma' (ma can mean mother).
'left' becomes 'l' (common abbreviation).
'shunt'+'merino'='shuntmerino'
'shuntmerino' with letters rearranged gives 'nourishment'.
'ma'+'l'='mal'
'nourishment' after 'mal' is 'MALNOURISHMENT'.

'for' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?