Under Five Malnutrition: A Review of Literature on the Current Public Health Problem in Developing Nations

Globally, PEM continues to be a major health burden in developing countries and the most important risk factor for illnesses and death especially among young children. The WHO estimates that about 60% of all deaths, occurring among children aged less than five years in developing countries, could be attributed to malnutrition. The Sub-Saharan African countries and the Indian sub-continent bear the main brunt of PEM in the world. On an average, the PEM associated mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa is between 25 to 35%. In Indian sub continent, almost half of the children under five years of age (48%) are chronically malnourished, 43% under five are underweight for their age and one out of five is wasted PEM is also associated with a number of co-morbidities such as lower respiratory tract infections including tuberculosis, diarrhea, malaria and anemia. These co-morbidities may prolong the duration of hospital stay and death among affected children. Thus the improvement of nutrition therefore is the main pre requisite for the reduction of high infant and under five mortality rates, the assurance of physical, social and mental development of children as well as academic achievements.