Dietary management of children with malnutrition

Background: Malnutrition refers to an unhealthy condition which is caused by unbalanced diet in which some nutrients are in excess, lacking or in wrong proportion. Simply put, it can be categorized into under-nutrition and over-nutrition. Children are malnourished if their diet does not provide adequate calories and protein for growth and maintenance or they are unable to fully utilize the food they eat due to illness. The Key interventions: The most important measures to in management of malnutrition include Provision of highly nutrient supplementary foods, Nutritional education to guardians, Early detection of malnutrition and intervention, Environmental sanitation, Improved health care system, Prevention of worm infestations, Nutritional planning and use of therapeutic foods for preventing and treating acute malnutrition. Conclusion: Malnutrition among children is better to be prevented in its early stage by provision of proper supplementary diet. The supplementary diets can be prepared by locally available plant foods which are economical, accessible and acceptable.