Publication:

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

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.