Protein-Energy Malnutrition

Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is a condition in which the body does not receive enough protein and energy to function normally. This can be caused by various reasons, such as insufficient food intake, digestive disorders, gastrointestinal diseases, kidney and liver diseases, and certain medications.

Symptoms of PEM may include weight loss, weakness, fatigue, anemia, vitamin deficiency, depression and other disorders. It is important to understand that PEM can lead to serious health consequences, such as dystrophy, exhaustion, disruption of internal organs, and even death.

To treat PEM, it is necessary to adjust the diet to include sufficient protein and calories, and also take special medications if required. It is also important to monitor your health and consult a doctor at the first symptoms of PEM.

Calories and proteins are the main components of the body's energy. But since proteins burn out very quickly, and it is not easy for the body to get energy from them, it is very important to combine them. This is why the World Health Organization introduced the concept of treating protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) in 1991. However, then this term was considered a minor deviation that sometimes manifests itself in adolescents and does not require serious treatment. In fact, CND can significantly affect human health, causing various diseases, which include: anemia (decreased hemoglobin), hypokalemia (depletion of electrolyte balance by potassium), myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), cardiomyopathies (unhealthy changes in the heart muscle) and other.

Despite the difficulties of obtaining energy, the protein component is extremely important for the proper functioning of our body, since it is involved in a number of processes, such as the growth and maintenance of tissues, immune defense, metabolic rate, including the production of immune proteins, as well as hormones. Protein requirements are usually estimated at the sufficient values ​​established for children (2 g/kg body weight daily); a 20-kilogram child requires 6 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight. This diet (protein-calcium-vitamin) would not be suitable with the addition of vitamins and