The prevention of PEM necessitates an exhaustive approach that tackles macro-level and micro-level factors that contribute to it. Of utmost importance, is the need for nutrition education. Care-givers with young ones should be empowered with knowledge on proper nutrition, weaning practices, breastfeeding and complementary feeding to ensure that their offspring receive the required nutrients to promote their proper development. An understanding as to the essence of various nutrients and the foods they can be obtained from is critical to enforcing practices that promote proper nutrition.
Enhance food security –Most cases of under nutrition are as a result of lacking access to adequate food. This is usually due to poverty , which limits access to food. By supporting sustainable agricultural practices to ensure the availability of affordable foods, and developing effective food storage and distribution systems , teh barriers to food access can be reduced .Training can be provided on the most suitable crops to be grown in an area. If for instance, an area has many kwashiorkor patients, then protein crops may need to be grown or availed i.e. beans,peas can be grown or rearing of layers can be done to provide with eggs. Affected communities can be encouraged to grow crops that are not expensive to cultivate, are not prone to pests and take short time to grow.
Facilitate proper hygiene and sanitation-this helps to reduce the risk of infections that cause malnutrition.
Micro-nutrient supplementation-Care-givers should see to it that their children receive regular micro-nutrient supplementation; particularly for children below 5 years. By enrolling the children into micro-nutrient supplementation programmes, such as those of Vitamin A, they will contribute to reducing incidences of micro-nutrient deficiencies.
Regular medical and weight assessments– Through regular medical checkups, it is easier to monitor and evaluate a child’s welfare and enable early detection of PEM. This should also allow the children to acquire the required immunization to prevent against diseases that may predispose them to PEM. Through regular medical check-ups, the children are also likely to be dewormed to prevent against parasitic infections that contribute to malnutrition by limiting nutrient absorption.
Improving economic status-The care-givers should be educated on various income-generating activities they can be involved in that can add them supplementary income. This should allow them to have financial capacity to access a variety of foods. Encouraging a micro-entrepreneurial culture should aid in reducing the over-dependency on feeding programmes and promote more innovative channels to sustain livelihoods
To prevent PEM, nutrition education and addressing poverty are important. Caregivers should also take their children for regular medical reviews and ensure they acquire the required micro-nutrient supplementation.