logo
Science Portal
Copyright © Médecins Sans Frontières
v2.1.5153.produseast1
About MSF Science Portal
About
Contact Us
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Copyright © Médecins Sans Frontières
v2.1.5153.produseast1
Correlates of whole-blood polyunsaturated fatty acids among young children with moderate acute malnutrition | Journal Article / Research | MSF Science Portal
Journal Article
|Research

Correlates of whole-blood polyunsaturated fatty acids among young children with moderate acute malnutrition

Yaméogo CW, Cichon B, Fabiansen C, Rytter MJH, Faurholt-Jepsen D, Stark KD, Briend A, Shepherd S, Traore A, Christensen VB, Michaelsen KF, Friis H, Lauritzen L
Download

Similar Content
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) has been associated with low polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) status. However, investigations regarding PUFA status and correlates in children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) from low-income countries are scarce. The aim of this study was to describe whole-blood PUFA levels in children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and to identify correlates of PUFAs.

METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional study using baseline data from a prospective nutritional intervention trial among 1609 children with MAM aged 6-23 months in Burkina Faso,West Africa. Whole-blood PUFAs were measured by gas chromatography and expressed as percent of total whole-blood fatty acids (FA%). Potential correlates of PUFAs including infection, inflammation, hemoglobin, anthropometry (difference between children diagnosed as having MAM based on low mid-upper-arm-circumference (MUAC) only, low MUAC and weight-for-height z-score (WHZ), or low WHZ only) and diet were assessed by linear regression adjusted for age and sex.

RESULTS
Children with MAM had low concentrations of whole-blood PUFAs, particularly n-3 PUFAs. Moreover, children diagnosed with MAM based only on low MUAC had 0.32 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.14; 0.50) and 0.40 (95% CI, 0.16; 0.63) FA% lower arachidonic acid (AA) than those recruited based on both low WHZ as well as low MUAC and those recruited with low WHZ only, respectively. Infection and inflammation were associated with low levels of all long-chain (LC)-PUFAs, while hemoglobin was positively associated with whole-blood LC-PUFAs.

CONCLUSION
While PUFA deficiency was not a general problem, overall whole-blood PUFA concentrations, especially of n-3 PUFAs, were low. Infection, inflammation, hemoglobin, anthropometry and diet were correlates of PUFAs concentrations in children with MAM.

Countries

Burkina Faso

Subject Area

pediatricsmalnutrition

Languages

English
DOI
10.1186/s12937-017-0264-3
Published Date
13 Jul 2017
PubMed ID
28705254
Journal
Nutrition Journal
Volume | Issue | Pages
Volume 16, Issue 1, Pages 44
Issue Date
2017-07-13
Dimensions Badge