title: Children treated for severe acute malnutrition experience a rapid increase in physical activity a few days after admission.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess physical activity at admission and during recovery from severe acute malnutrition.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ethiopian children who were admitted with severe acute malnutrition received a clinical examination each week to monitor their recovery during rehabilitation. Using accelerometry (24 h/d for 5 consecutive days) at admission and again after 10 days of rehabilitation, we assessed the level and changes of physical activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 13 children included, the mean (SD) age was 31.1 months (15.5). At baseline, the day-night activity difference was relatively small, whereas the level of activity had substantially increased at follow-up. The diurnal mean acceleration level was significantly greater at follow-up for wrist (1158.8 vs 541.4 counts per minute, P = .003) but not hip movements (204.1 vs 141.5, P = .261). During daytime (6 a.m. to 10 p.m.), hip activity increased by 38% from baseline to follow-up (e(B) 1.38, 95% CI 1.17-1.62), and wrist activity more than doubled (e(B) 2.50, 95% CI 2.17-2.87).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The level of physical activity among children with severe acute malnutrition is very low but increases rapidly during recovery. Accelerometry may be a useful approach in the recovery phase as an indicator of early improvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: daniel@faurholt-jepsen.dk.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Faurholt-Jepsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kristina Beck
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: MoveLab, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, United Kingdom; MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Vincent T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: van Hees
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Line Brinch
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.affiliation: Jimma University Specialized Hospital, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Tsinuel
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Girma
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Friis
authors.affiliation: MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Søren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brage
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000379:methods*; D000208:Acute Disease; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000178:diet therapy*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome