Prevalence of protein energy malnutrition among children: a cross sectional study

Abstract

Background: In the world, hunger and malnutrition are most significant threat. Malnutrition is global risk factor for significant death among infants and pregnant woman. malnutrition increases the chances of several infections.Methods: A cross sectional study was undertaken in children age group of 1 to 18 years, suffering from protein energy malnutrition, attending Department of Paediatrics, tertiary care hospital, Bangalore during the period January 2016 to December 2016. Results: In the present study, maximum number of cases (44) belongs to age group of 1-5 years, followed by 32 cases belongs to 6-12-year age group and 24 cases belong to 13-18-year age group. Maximum cases (59) belongs to female with male female ratio is 1:1.4. In the present study out of 100 cases, 81 cases came positive for protein energy malnutrition. Out of 81 cases positive for PEM, 34 cases belong to grade I followed by 24 cases belongs to grade II, 13 cases belong to grade III and 1o cases belongs to grade IV protein-energy malnutrition (PEM).Conclusions: Malnutrition is like an iceberg, most people in the developing countries live under the burden of malnutrition.