Protein-energy malnutrition

Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) is a malnutrition caused by insufficient food supply or disease factors. It is clinically manifested as marasmus and kwashiorkor. Wasting is the result of a chronic lack of calories, protein, and other nutrients in the diet, or a patient's difficulty in digesting, absorbing, and using food. This type is dominated by energy deficiency and protein deficiency, which is manifested by progressive weight loss, subcutaneous fat reduction, edema, and dysfunction of various organs. Malignant malnutrition is manifested by a lack of protein in the diet, while the supply of thermal energy is sufficient, mainly manifested by malnutrition edema. But most patients are somewhere in between. Light chronic protein-energy malnutrition is often overlooked. It affects children's growth and development, immune function, and is susceptible to illness and difficult to recover.

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