Global, Regional, and National Burden of Protein–Energy Malnutrition: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study

Abstract

Background: Statistical data on the prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of protein–energy malnutrition are valuable for health resource planning and policy-making. We aimed to estimate protein–energy malnutrition burdens worldwide according to gender, age, and sociodemographic index (SDI) between 1990 and 2019. Methods: Detailed data on protein–energy malnutrition from 1990 to 2019 was extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database. The global prevalence, deaths, and DALYs attributable to protein–energy malnutrition and the corresponding age-standardized rates (ASRs) were analyzed. Results: In 2019, the global prevalence of protein–energy malnutrition increased to 14,767,275 cases. The age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR) showed an increasing trend between 1990 and 2019, while the age-standardized deaths rate (ASDR) and age-standardized DALYs rate presented a significantly decreasing trend in the same period. Meanwhile, there was a clearly ASPR, ASDR, and age-standardized DALYs rate downtrend of the prediction curve when the SDI went up. Conclusions: PEM still has a relatively serious disease burden in the world, especially in children and the elderly. At the same time, this phenomenon will be more obvious due to the aging of the world’s population. Effective prevention measures should be strengthened to continuously improve public health conditions.