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 ABSTRACT

Malnutrition is a dietary condition caused by deficiency or excess of one or more essential nutrients in the diet. It is characterized by a wide array of health problems, including extreme weight loss, stunted growth, weakened resistance and impairment of intellect. Severe cases of malnutrition can lead to even death. Children suffer from the effects of starvation more quickly than adults. According to the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), malnutrition contributes to the death of more than six million children under the age of five each year. Typically starving children develop a condition called PEM (Protein Energy Malnutrition). According to Hudson et al. (2000), PEM is defined as an unintentional loss of 10% or more of body weight in a period of six months or less and/or serum albumin levels of less than 3.5 grams per decilitre (g/dl). The two most common forms of PEM, Marasmus and Kwashiorkor, occur in all developing countries and are life-threatening conditions. Marasmus occurs when a child is weaned earlier than normal and receives foods low in nutrients. The child may also suffer repeated infections such as gastroenteritis due to poor hygiene. A child with Marasmus is very underweight, with no body fat and wasted muscles. Kwashiorkor occurs when a child is weaned later than normal and receives starchy food low in protein. In this disease, the child's abnormally low body weight is often masked by water retention, which makes the face moon shaped and the belly swollen.

Keywords: Protein Energy Malnutrition, Nutraceuticals, Marasmus, Kwashiorkor.

Full Text : PDF; Journal doi : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782

Cite this article: Mathur, M., Sharma, R., & Mathur, M. (2022). Plant Based Nutraceuticals Efficacious in Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM), Especially in Children, Ind. J. Pure App. Biosci.10(5), 23-27. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2582-2845.8938