Knowledge attitude and practices of mothers of fewer than five children regarding prevention of Protein Energy Malnutrition

Malnutrition is a manmade disease which often starts in the womb and ends in the tomb. It is a global problem especially in developing countries in even in under privileged communities of some developed countries. This is particularly true of developing countries where the population growth is not controlled and resources are poor. The United Nation International Child Emergency Fund in 2005 reported that 150 million children are malnourished worldwide; millions of Indian children are equally deprived of their rights to survival, health, nutrition, education and safe drinking water. It is reported that 63 % of them go to bed hungry, 53% suffer from malnutrition.1 

Protein energy malnutrition is a wide spread type of under nutrition among the underprivileged in tropical and subtropical countries. It is caused by a diet that is severely deficient in protein and contains less than adequate calories. Kwashiorkor occurs in infants and children between 4 months and 5 years of age. Marasmus is a form of under nutrition caused by inadequate calorie intake occurring chiefly during the first year of life .2 

Under nutrition is widely recognized as a major health problem in the developing countries of the world. The frequency of under nutrition cannot be easily estimated from prevalence of commonly recognized clinical syndrome of malnutrition such as marasmus and kwashiorkor because these constitute only proverbial tip of the iceberg. Cases with mild to moderate under- nutrition are likely to remain unrecognized because clinical criteria for their diagnosis are imprecise and difficult to interpret accurately. Growing children are most vulnerable to effects of under nutrition. Nutritional status of children is an indicator of nutritional profile of the entire community.43