Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Matern Child Nutr. 4 December 2023; Volume 20 (Issue 3); e13596.; DOI:10.1111/mcn.13596
Thurstans S, Opondo C, Bailey J, Stobaugh H, Loddo F, et al.
Matern Child Nutr. 4 December 2023; Volume 20 (Issue 3); e13596.; DOI:10.1111/mcn.13596
Age and sex influence the risk of childhood wasting. We aimed to determine if wasting treatment outcomes differ by age and sex in children under 5 years, enroled in therapeutic and supplementary feeding programmes. Utilising data from stage 1 of the ComPAS trial, we used logistic regression to assess the association between age, sex and wasting treatment outcomes (recovery, death, default, non‐response, and transfer), modelling the likelihood of recovery versus all other outcomes. We used linear regression to calculate differences in mean length of stay (LOS) and mean daily weight gain by age and sex. Data from 6,929 children from Kenya, Chad, Yemen and South Sudan was analysed. Girls in therapeutic feeding programmes were less likely to recover than boys (pooled odds ratio [OR]: 0.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.72–0.97, p = 0.018). This association was statistically significant in Chad (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.39–0.95, p = 0.030) and Yemen (OR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.27–0.81, p = 0.006), but not in Kenya and South Sudan. Multinomial analysis, however, showed no difference in recovery between sexes. There was no difference between sexes for LOS, but older children (24–59 months) had a shorter mean LOS than younger children (6–23 months). Mean daily weight gain was consistently lower in boys compared with girls. We found few differences in wasting treatment outcomes by sex and age. The results do not indicate a need to change current programme inclusion requirements or treatment protocols on the basis of sex or age, but future research in other settings should continue to investigate the aetiology of differences in recovery and implications for treatment protocols.
Conference Material > Poster
Helt TW, Grenov B, Yaméogo CW, Fabiansen C, Iuel-Brockdorff AS, et al.
MSF Paediatric Days 2022. 30 November 2022; DOI:10.57740/28hz-s155
Journal Article > CommentaryFull Text
J Nutr. 10 June 2022; Online ahead of print; nxac091.; DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxac091
Sadler K, James PT, Bhutta ZA, Briend A, Isanaka S, et al.
J Nutr. 10 June 2022; Online ahead of print; nxac091.; DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxac091
Childhood wasting and stunting affect large numbers of children globally. Both are important risk factors for illness and death yet, despite the fact that these conditions can share common risk factors and are often seen in the same child, they are commonly portrayed as relatively distinct manifestations of undernutrition. In 2014, the Wasting and Stunting project was launched by the Emergency Nutrition Network. Its aim was to better understand the complex relationship and associations between wasting and stunting and examine whether current separations that were apparent in approaches to policy, financing, and programs were justified or useful. Based on the project's work, this article aims to bring a wasting and stunting lens to how research is designed and financed in order for the nutrition community to better understand, prevent, and treat child undernutrition. Discussion of lessons learnt focuses on the synergy and temporal relationships between children's weight loss and linear growth faltering, the proximal and distal factors that drive diverse forms of undernutrition, and identifying and targeting people most at risk. Supporting progress in all these areas requires research collaborations across interest groups that highlight the value of research that moves beyond a focus on single forms of undernutrition, and ensures that there is equal attention given to wasting as to other forms of malnutrition, wherever it is present.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Isotopes Environ Health Stud. 3 March 2017 (Issue 4)
Fabiansen C, Yaméogo CW, Devi S, Friis H, Kurpad A, et al.
Isotopes Environ Health Stud. 3 March 2017 (Issue 4)
Childhood malnutrition is highly prevalent and associated with high mortality risk. In observational and interventional studies among malnourished children, body composition is increasingly recognised as a key outcome. The deuterium dilution technique has generated high-quality data on body composition in studies of infants and young children in several settings, but its feasibility and accuracy in children suffering from moderate acute malnutrition requires further study. Prior to a large nutritional intervention trial among children with moderate acute malnutrition, we conducted pilot work to develop and adapt the deuterium dilution technique. We refined procedures for administration of isotope doses and collection of saliva. Furthermore, we established that equilibration time in local context is 3 h. These findings and the resulting standard operating procedures are important to improve data quality when using the deuterium dilution technique in malnutrition studies in field conditions, and may encourage a wider use of isotope techniques.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
PLOS Med. 11 September 2017; Volume 14 (Issue 9); DOI:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002387
Fabiansen C, Yameogo CW, Iuel-Brockdorf AS, Cichon B, Rytter MJH, et al.
PLOS Med. 11 September 2017; Volume 14 (Issue 9); DOI:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002387
Children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) are treated with lipid-based nutrient supplement (LNS) or corn-soy blend (CSB). We assessed the effectiveness of (a) matrix, i.e., LNS or CSB, (b) soy quality, i.e., soy isolate (SI) or dehulled soy (DS), and (c) percentage of total protein from dry skimmed milk, i.e., 0%, 20%, or 50%, in increasing fat-free tissue accretion.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Sci Rep. 6 August 2020; Volume 10 (Issue 1); DOI:10.1038/s41598-020-69987-9
Fabiansen C, Cichon B, Yaméogo CW, Iuel-Brockdorf AS, Phelan KPQ, et al.
Sci Rep. 6 August 2020; Volume 10 (Issue 1); DOI:10.1038/s41598-020-69987-9
Children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) are treated based on low weight-for-length z-score (WLZ), low mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) or both. This study aimed to assess associations of admission criteria and body composition (BC), to improve treatment of MAM. We undertook a cross-sectional study among 6-23 months old Burkinabe children with MAM. Fat-free (FFM) and fat mass (FM) were determined by deuterium dilution and expressed as FFM (FFMI) and FM index (FMI). Of 1,489 children, 439 (29.5%) were recruited by low MUAC only (MUAC-O), 734 (49.3%) by low WLZ and low MUAC (WLZ-MUAC) and 316 (21.2%) by low WLZ only (WLZ-O). Thus, 1,173 (78.8%) were recruited by low MUAC, with or without low WLZ (ALL-MUAC). After adjustments, WLZ-O had 89 g (95% confidence interval (CI) 5; 172) lower FFM compared to MUAC-O. Similarly, WLZ-O had 0.89 kg/m2 (95% CI 0.77; 1.01) lower FFMI compared to MUAC-O, whereas there was no difference for FMI. However, boys included by WLZ-O compared to MUAC-O had 0.21 kg/m2 (95% CI 0.05; 0.38) higher FMI. In contrast, girls included by WLZ-O had 0.17 (95% CI 0.01; 0.33) kg/m2 lower FMI compared to MUAC-O (interaction, p = 0.002). We found that different criteria for admission into MAM treatment programmes select children with differences in BC, especially FFMI.
Journal Article > ResearchAbstract Only
Am J Clin Nutr. 1 September 2021; Volume 114 (Issue 3); 965-972.; DOI:10.1093/ajcn/nqab120
Kjaer TW, Grenov B, Yameogo CW, Fabiansen C, Iuel-Brockdorf AS, et al.
Am J Clin Nutr. 1 September 2021; Volume 114 (Issue 3); 965-972.; DOI:10.1093/ajcn/nqab120
BACKGROUND
Serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (sIGF-1) is an important growth factor in childhood. However, studies on sIGF-1 among children from low-income countries are few, and the role of body composition is unknown.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the associations of anthropometry, body composition, inflammation, and breastfeeding with sIGF-1 among children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM).
METHODS
A cross-sectional study based on admission data from 6 to 23-mo-old children with MAM participating in a nutrition intervention trial (Treatfood) in Burkina Faso. Linear regression analysis was used to identify correlates of sIGF-1.
RESULTS
Among 1546 children, the median (IQR) sIGF-1 was 12 (8.2-18.3) ng/mL. sIGF-1 was highest at 6 mo, with a nadir ∼10-11 mo, and higher in girls than boys. Length-for-age z score (LAZ), weight-for-length z score (WLZ), and midupper arm circumference were positively associated with sIGF-1 (P ≤ 0.001). Fat-free mass (FFM) was also positively associated, as sIGF-1 increased 1.5 (95% CI: 0.5, 2.5) ng/mL for each 1-kg increase in FFM. However, the association disappeared after adjustment for height. Elevated serum C-reactive protein and α1-acid glycoprotein were negatively associated with sIGF-1 (P ≤ 0.001), as was fever (P < 0.001) but not a positive malaria test per se (P = 0.15). Children never breastfed had lower sIGF-1 (-5.1; 95% CI: -9.8, -0.3).
CONCLUSIONS
LAZ and WLZ were positively and inflammation negatively associated with sIGF-1. As all children were moderately malnourished and many had inflammation, this probably explains the very low median sIGF-1. The association of FFM with sIGF-1 was fully explained by height. There was a marked age pattern, with a nadir in late infancy, confirming findings from smaller studies from well-nourished populations. There is a need for prospective studies to disentangle the role of sIGF-1 in growth and health. This trial was registered at https://www.isrctn.com as ISRCTN42569496.
Journal Article > Short ReportAbstract
Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 11 September 2019; Volume 3; DOI:10.1016/S2352-4642(19)30244-5
Wells JCK, Briend A, Boyd EM, Berkely JA, Hall A, et al.
Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 11 September 2019; Volume 3; DOI:10.1016/S2352-4642(19)30244-5
Child undernutrition refers broadly to the condition in which food intake is inadequate to meet a child's needs for physiological function, growth, and the capacity to respond to illness. Since the 1970s, nutritionists have categorised undernutrition in two major ways, either as wasted (ie, low weight for height, or small mid-upper arm circumference) or stunted (ie, low height for age). This approach, although useful for identifying populations at risk of undernutrition, creates several problems: the focus is on children who have already become undernourished, and this approach draws an artificial distinction between two idealised types of undernourished children that are widely interpreted as indicative of either acute or chronic undernutrition. This distinction in turn has led to the separation of programmatic approaches to prevent and treat child undernutrition. In the past 3 years, research has shown that individual children are at risk of both conditions, might be born with both, pass from one state to the other over time, and accumulate risks to their health and life through their combined effects. The current emphasis on identifying children who are already wasted or stunted detracts attention from the larger number of children undergoing the process of becoming undernourished. We call for a major shift in thinking regarding how we assess child undernutrition, and how prevention and treatment programmes can best address the diverse causes and dynamic biological processes that underlie undernutrition.