Final answer:
PEM is a critical health concern prevalent in developing countries, linked to over half of global child mortality rates. The causes include inadequate nutrition, poor water quality, lack of healthcare, and diseases like malaria and diarrhea, compounded by exposure to harmful levels of indoor air pollution.
Step-by-step explanation:
PEM (protein-energy malnutrition) is a significant health issue that commonly affects children and adults in developing countries. Malnutrition, particularly PEM, causes the deaths of over half the children globally. The underlying causes of such high mortality rates are manifold, including limited access to nutritious food, safe drinking water, and healthcare services, as well as exposure to infectious diseases like malaria and diarrhea, which are exacerbated by inadequate living conditions. For example, malaria alone causes about 500,000 deaths annually in Africa, while in India over 700,000 children under five die every year from diarrhea. In addition to these factors, the high levels of indoor air pollution (IAP) resulting from the use of unprocessed solid fuels for cooking and heating in inefficient stoves without proper ventilation contribute to about 2 million deaths each year. It's evident that in regions with restricted resources, the impacts of malnutrition are intensified by environmental challenges and lack of healthcare infrastructure.
Addressing malnutrition involves a multifaceted approach that includes improving food security, education on nutrition, ensuring the provision of clean water and sanitation, and increasing the availability of affordable healthcare. Without addressing these root causes, malnutrition and its associated mortality rates in children under five will continue to be a pressing issue in developing countries.