Detection of early protein-calorie malnutrition (pre-kwashiorker) in population groups.

The widespread prevalence and great public health significance of protein-calorie
malnutrition among young children in most technically underdeveloped nations of
the world is now well recognized. The vitality and development of these nations
depend largely on the way in which they challenge the extension of malnutrition in
their populations.
Despite recent progress, no one single criterion permits the detection of prekwashiorkor
or early protein-calorie malnutrition in population groups. The criteria
for the diagnosis of this condition by clinical examination are difficult to define with
precision. Whitehead (1964) has advocated the value of the ratio of non-essential to
essential amino acids (NEA:EA ratio) in blood plasma for the detection of proteincalorie
malnutrition, and especially of kwashiorkor, in population groups. McLaren,
Kame1 & Ayyoub (1965), Anasuya & Narasinga Rao (1968) and Truswell, Wannenburg,
Wittmann & Hansen (1966) have expressed certain reservations on the validity
of this approach.
The study now described was carried out essentially to find out the usefulness of
the ratio of serum non-essential to essential amino acids in the detection of early
protein-calorie malnutrition.