Tallat Seyal, Fozia Ishaaq, Maryam Waheed, Prof Joveria Mannan, Asif Hanif.
Risk factors for severe protein energy malnutrition in children less than 5 years of age (hospital based study).
Pak Paed J Jan ;32(4):221-4.

To determine some of the risk factors associated with severe (third degree) protein energy malnutrition (PEM) in children less than five years of age admitted at the tertiary care hospital, Lahore, as Pakistan is one of the underdeveloped countries in which malnutrition is high and poses a grave risk to the health of children especially that of those below five years of age. Design: A case control study. Place and duration of study: Paediatric Department, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore over a twelve month period from July 2006 to June 2007 Subjects: 99 children aged 2 to 60 months with severe (third degree) protein energy malnutrition admitted in the Paediatric ward of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital with age matched 99 controls. Methods: Information was collected from the parents or caretakers followed by clinical examination and anthropometrical measurements of the malnourished children and controls, by using a structured proforma. Results: There were 48 females and 51 males in each group. The study revealed the significance of male sex (OR = 1.534), illiteracy in parents (mother’s education: OR = 4.764, father’s education: OR = 6.424) and low socioeconomic status (OR = 5.153) in the development of severe malnutrition. Moreover, exclusive breast feeding played a protective role against malnutrition (OR = 0.180) as well as complete vaccination according to EPI schedule (OR = 0.667). Conclusion: This study shows that poor socioeconomic status, illiteracy in parents, lack of immunisation and exclusive breast feeding are affecting children’s health. It is recommended that by improving social infrastructure as well as parental education, we can ultimately break the vicious cycle of malnutrition and improve the health of future generations.

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