الفهرس 
AcknowledgementOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Malnutrition is a public health problem in developing countries. The most prevalent type is protein-energy malnutrition, which is a range of’ pathological conditions arising f om coincident lack of varying proportions of protein and calori es ,o(,curring most frequently in infants and young children and commonly associated with infections. The mild and the most of the moderate cases are sub clinical and can only be detected by anthropometric measurements and biochemical tests. For ’true and complete assessment of the magnitude of the problem both community surveys and hospital data should be taken in account. The aetiology of malnutrition can be classified under the triad: agent, host, and environment, the interaction of these factors leads to malnutrition. It is generally acy,nowledged that the aetiology of protein energy malnutrition is complex; one of the frequently cited contributing- factors is mother’s lack of knowledge resulting in inappropriate feeding practice, thus nutritional education is .regarded as an essential component of rehabilitation programmes as well as preventive programmes. Provision of sufficient food and removal of poverty represnt the strategy to eradi cate malnut tion . Certain short term intervention programmes are indicated for the vulnerable groups ~ Supplemetary feeding is the most important means for this either by feeding the spot or by distributing weekly ration of the supplement to be taken home and consumed . Retardation of growth, anaemia, vitamins and mineral deficiences are among the common heal th problems associated with protein-energy malnutri tlon . In public’health pr.actice , assessment of the nutritional status is the basis of all efforts to control nutritionally determined or co-determined diseases and to detect those who are at risk. Also it is now agreed that anthropometri c measurements are the most practical means of assess ing the physical development and the nutritional status of infants and young children both crosssectionally and longi tudenally . In the nutritional management of malnourished infants, high energy milk feeds are the basis for the nutritional rehabilitation in these infants, this can be achieved by the supplementation of the milk consumed with a suitable supplement.Provision of this high- energy requirement is the main pract ical problem, because there is anorexia coupled with reducEd gastri c capacity and intolerance to fat in these infants. It is for this reason that a special therapeutic supplement has to be added. Honey was extensively’ used in ancient times as a supplement in infant feeding. Many controlled experimen~s have given conclusive evidences of its use and its value in correcting deficiencies in infants and children. Many investigators proved its therapeutic effect when added as a supplement in the nutritional status by improving the phy sical development and growth, correction of anaemia and helping in the management of diseases especially diarrhoea. The aim of this work was to study the effect of honey on the nutri tional status of malnouri shed infants \’lhen added as a supplement in the nutritional rna.YJ.agement of these C2.ses In order to study the effect of honey on the nutritional status of malnourished infants, sixty infants below one year of age ,suffered from various degrees of malnutrition were divided into two groups the supplemented group and the non supplemented group ~d were matched for age, sex, and social status. Mthropometric measurements (weight, height, mid-arm circumierence,and skin fold thickness) haemoglobin level(of sub group) and diarrhoeal attacks were recorded monthly for four months. The results of the present study were: the anthropometric measurements (weight, height, mid-arm circumference and skin fold thickness) were significIDltly increase,d in the supplemented ~oup compared to the non supplemented group after the four months of supplementation with honey. Moreover the monthly increase after analysis of the variables was also significant, in the individual months in the supplemented group compared to the non supplemented group. This explains that the increase in measurements was not due to the natural growth but due to the supplementation with honey. Also the majority of the severe degrees of malnutrition changed to the moderate degrees while the majority of the moderate forms of malnutrition changed to mild forms in the supplemented group while infants in the non supplemented group showed less improvement in the degrees of malnutrition. It was observed that the severity and frequency of diarrhoeal attacks were less in the supplemented group compared to the non supplemented group. It was concluded from the present study that: Honey increases the anthropometric measurements of malnourished infants as well as the haemoglobin of their blood, and it also diminishes both the severi ty and the degrees of malnutrition and diarrhoea.^leng