Prevalence of Protein Energy Malnutrition among Under-five children in Odisha: A Review

Abstract

The WHO has identified PEM as one of the major problems among the children round the world. Also, over the years it has been found that developing countries like India have been facing the issue of PEM among children particularly at the most crucial stage of their development. Moreover, this is prevalent mostly among the rural masses and the poor and arises due to issues relating to poverty, poor environmental sanitation, poor dietary practices, low socioeconomic status, maternal education, frequent infection, and poor household food security, high consumption of rice, frequency of acute illness and low birth weight of child. This paper is a review on the status of PEM among young children (under the age of five) in Odisha. The study is based on analysis and meta-analysis of secondary sources of relevant literature and the inferences thereof suggesting possible strategies to combat this problem.