title: Effectiveness of indigenous ready-to-use therapeutic food in community-based management of uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition: a randomized controlled trial from India.
abstract: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in Chandigarh, India (2011), to determine the effectiveness of indigenous ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) in community-based management of uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Intervention was through outpatient therapeutic program site (OTP). Study and control group children (6 months-5 years) were followed up weekly for 12 weeks, in OTP and at home. All children received supplementary nutrition through anganwadis under integrated child development scheme. Study children, in addition, received therapeutic dose of RUTF in OTP. Primary outcome, 115% of baseline weight, was attained in 6 of 13 (46.2%) and 1 of 13 (7.7%) children among study and control group, respectively [odds ratio: 10.28, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-103.95]. Compared with control group, addition of RUTF in study group resulted in average additional increase in weight by 13 g/kg of baseline weight/week/child (95% CI: 2-23). Indigenous RUTF was effective in community-based management of uncomplicated SAM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh 160012. India.
authors.forename: Hemant D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Shewade
authors.forename: Binod K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Patro
authors.forename: Bhavneet
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bharti
authors.forename: Kathirvel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Soundappan
authors.forename: Arvinder
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: Neelam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taneja
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000178:diet therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014505:Urban Population; D015430:Weight Gain
keywords: community-based management; ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF); severe acute malnutrition (SAM)