Pediatric protein-energy malnutrition

Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is a type of malnutrition caused by insufficient protein and / or energy supply in foods or due to factors such as certain diseases, which occur in all parts of the world. The main manifestations are progressive weight loss, subcutaneous fat reduction, edema, and dysfunction of various organs. Severe PEM can directly cause death, and mild chronic PEM is often ignored, but it has a great impact on children's growth and development and disease recovery, so PEM is an important issue in clinical nutrition.