Also called protein-calorie malnutrition or protein-energy undernutrition, protein-energy malnutrition develops when you don't eat enough protein in your diet to meet your body's protein needs. Low calorie intake often accompanies protein-energy malnutrition. In the United States, protein-energy malnutrition most often develops as a secondary disorder caused by another disease process rather than by not consuming enough calories or protein in the diet.
Classifications
Unintentional loss of 10 to 20 percent of body weight is classified as moderate protein-energy malnutrition, according to the Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, while losses greater than 20 percent qualify as severe disease. Percentage of weight to the norm for your height can also be used as a way to classify disease severity; the lower the percentage, the more severe the disease. Normal values are defined as 90 to 110 percent; mild PEM as 85 to 90 percent; moderate PEM as 75 to 85 percent of expected values and more than 75 percent as severe disease.
Effects
Protein-energy malnutrition first causes a breakdown of fat, or adipose tissues in the body. When fat stores are depleted, organs and muscles break down so that protein can be used to meet your body's energy needs. The liver and intestines lose the most weight, followed by the heart and kidneys, with the nervous system breaking down the least. Symptoms include visible loss of fat stores, slow heart rate, apathy, mental changes, thin hair, pale, cold, dry skin and skin breakdown along with increase susceptibility to infection.
Risk Factors
Elderly people living in institutions in the United States may develop protein-energy malnutrition because of decreased dietary intake of all nutrients caused by lack of appetite, inability to chew or swallow foods or undiagnosed illness. In hospitals, protein-energy malnutrition affects 50 percent of surgical patients and 48 percent of all patients, according to the Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. People who live in poverty, particularly children, are also susceptible to developing PEM.
Results
Losing 40 percent of more of body weight from protein-energy malnutrition often results in death, according to the Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Electrolyte imbalances, infection, heart failure, severe heart arrhythmias, or low body temperature are common causes of death. Children with protein-energy malnutrition may not grow well or may have permanent mental retardation. Total starvation causes death within eight to 12 weeks, so some symptoms of PEM will not have time to develop in these cases.
Member Comments