Tag: Malnutrition prevalence

According to the World Health Organization, nearly half of deaths among children under five are linked to undernutrition, highlighting that the population most affected by a high prevalence of PEM is young children in low- and middle-income countries. This condition, also known as protein-energy malnutrition, results from insufficient energy and protein intake to meet the body's metabolic demands.

According to one study, the prevalence of malnutrition was found to be 14% among medical and surgical gastrointestinal outpatients. This statistic reveals that nutritional deficiencies are a substantial and often under-recognized issue even outside of inpatient settings.

Malnutrition is highly prevalent among critically ill patients, with studies reporting rates ranging from 30% to over 70% depending on the assessment tool and patient population. This common and serious issue poses a significant threat to a patient's recovery and is associated with multiple adverse clinical outcomes.