Comparison of the efficacy of a solid ready-to-use food and a liquid, milk-based diet for the rehabilitation of severely malnourished children: a randomized trial.
BACKGROUND
The World Health Organization recommends a liquid, milk-based diet (F100) during the rehabilitation phase of the treatment of severe malnutrition. A dry, solid, ready-to-use food (RTUF) that can be eaten without adding water has been proposed to eliminate the risk of bacterial contamination from added water. The efficacies of RTUF and F100 have not been compared.


OBJECTIVE
The objective was to compare the efficacy of RTUF and F100 in promoting weight gain in malnourished children.


METHODS
In an open-labeled, randomized trial, 70 severely malnourished Senegalese children aged 6-36 mo were randomly allocated to receive 3 meals containing either F100 (n = 35) or RTUF (n = 35) in addition to the local diet. The data from 30 children in each group were analyzed.


RESULTS
The mean (+/- SD) daily energy intake in the RTUF group was 808 +/- 280 (95% CI: 703.8, 912.9) kJ x kg body wt(-1) x d(-1), and that in the F100 group was 573 +/- 201 (95% CI: 497.9, 648.7) kJ. kg body wt(-1) x d(-1) (P < 0.001). The average weight gains in the RTUF and F100 groups were 15.6 (95% CI: 13.4, 17.8) and 10.1 (95% CI: 8.7, 11.4) g x kg body wt(-1) x d(-1), respectively (P < 0.001). The difference in weight gain was greater in the most wasted children (P < 0.05). The average duration of rehabilitation was 17.3 (95% CI: 15.6, 19.0) d in the F100 group and was 13.4 (95% CI: 12.1, 14.7) d in the RTUF group (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicated that RTUF can be used efficiently for the rehabilitation of severely malnourished children.
Diop
El Hadji Issakha
el HI
Equipe de Nutrition, Laboratoire de Physiologie, Département de Biologie Animale, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Sénégal.
Dossou
Nicole Idohou
NI
Ndour
Marie Madeleine
MM
Briend
André
A
Wade
Salimata
S
D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D005526:Food, Formulated; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007228:Infant Nutrition Disorders / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012675:Senegal; D016896:Treatment Outcome