From the Guidelines

Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) has severe effects on the body, including increased morbidity and mortality rates.

Malnutrition is commonly associated with cirrhosis and its severity, and is present in almost every patient with severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH) 1
PEM is associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality in dialysis patients, and is a strong predictor of outcome 1
Anorexia, inadequate food intake, reduced absorption, increased intestinal loss, and altered protein synthesis all contribute to a significantly reduced nutritional status in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) 1
Deficiencies of micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, and trace elements) are common in patients with CD, especially in the acute phase or after extensive surgery 1
A low Body Mass Index (BMI) and recent weight loss reflect poor nutritional status as well as poorly controlled disease in patients with CD 1

A daily energy intake of 35-40 kcal/kg of body weight (BW) and a daily protein intake of 1.2-1.5 g/kg of BW is recommended for patients with AH 1
A daily protein intake of 1.2 g/kg/d is necessary to ensure neutral or positive nitrogen balance in most clinically stable maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients 1
An intake of 25-30 kcal/kg/day is usually adequate to meet energy and nutritional requirements in patients with CD 1

From the Research

PEM has a lasting effect on immune functions, growth and development of children, learning ability, social adjustment, work efficiency and productivity of labour 2
Metabolic changes in PEM include water and electrolytes imbalance, amino acids and proteins deficiencies, carbohydrates and energy deficiencies, hypolipidaemias, hypolipoproteinaemias, hormonal imbalance, deficiency of anti-oxidant vitamins and enzymes, depression of cell-mediated immune complexes and decrease in amino acids and trace elements in skin and hair 2
PEM is associated with chronic disease, hypoglycemia, hypothermia, serious infections, and even an increased prevalence of morbidity and mortality in countries with poor socioeconomic or environmental factors 3
PEM induces profound immunodeficiency, characterized mainly by decreased cell-mediated immunity, and also by decreased humoral and non-specific immunity 4
Refeeding PEM patients and the restoration of their nutritional status lead to improvement in all immune responses 4

PEM has adverse effects on the biochemistry of developing brain which leads to tissue damage and tissue contents, growth arrest, developmental differentiation, myelination, reduction of synapses, synaptic transmitters and overall development of dendritic activity 5
Longer the PEM, younger the child, poorer the maternal health and literacy, more adverse are the effects of PEM on the nervous system 5
Prevention of PEM in pregnant and lactating mothers, breast feeding, adequate home based supplements, family support and love will improve the physical growth, mental development, social competence and academic performance of the child 5

Malnutrition is a treatable disease with high prevalence among hospitalized patients, and can cause significant increases in the duration of hospitalization and costs 6
Malnourished patients present higher morbidity and mortality, and malnutrition is often unrecognized, unappreciated, and only sporadically treated 6
Nutritional therapy was administered to only 22/36 of the malnourished patients, and complications were diagnosed in 28/36 malnourished and 9/73 well-nourished patients 6