Efficacy of sorghum peanut blend and corn soy blend plus in the treatment of moderate acute malnutrition in children aged 6–59 months in Karamoja, Uganda: a cluster randomized trial

Abstract

More than half of the world's deaths in children below 5 years of age are caused by under nutrition. Early management of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) is necessary to avoid deterioration to severe acute malnutrition. Corn soy blend plus (CSB+) mixed with vegetable oil and sugar is the traditional treatment for MAM but is too expensive for poor countries. The effectiveness of affordable and available local food materials are currently being studied as alternative food supplements to treat malnutrition. In this trial, the efficacy of sorghum peanut blend (SPB) mixed with ghee and honey for the treatment of MAM was compared to that of CSB+ among children 6-59 months old in Karamoja, Uganda. This was a single-blind randomized parallel trial in which two health centers were assigned on a 1:1 ratio to the two study groups. The participants (mothers and their moderately malnourished children) were recruited at the health centers and assigned to the groups depending on the health facility attended. Each child received a daily ration of either CSB+ or SPB for a maximum period of 3 months. Anthropometric measurements of the children were taken on a bi-weekly basis. The primary outcomes were the recovery rate and duration on the program before recovery. Of the recruited 440 participants, 392 completed the study and were included in the analysis (SPB group 194; CSB+ group 198). Analysis was by intention to treat. The recovery rates were not significantly different for the SPB group and the CSB+ group (82.3% and 76.8%, respectively; chi-square test P=0.093). Duration of recovery was significantly shorter for the SPB+ group, with a median of 43 days compared to 57 days for the SPB group (Kaplan-Meier survival test). The recovery rate and the duration of stay in the program were all within the acceptable Sphere Standards ($75% and #90 days, respectively). SPB has the potential to treat MAM.

Effect of a novel supplementary porridge on the nutritional status of infants and young children diagnosed with moderate acute malnutrition in Uganda: a cluster randomised control trial

“…A possible explanation for the high (>75%) recovery rate (25) could be attributed to the optimal energy and protein content of MSBP, coupled with appropriate complementary feeding practices. Nevertheless, the results generated by the present study compare favourably with those of previous studies conducted in low-income countries (11,13,14) , thus confirming that the provision of energy rich, nutrient dense supplementary foods increases the recovery rate in IYC with MAM as indicated by weight-for-length (3,11,12,14) . It is important to note that a monthly IYC weight gain of 0.3 kg or more among those receiving MSBP is sufficient to yield a satisfactory recovery rate from MAM (15) .…”

Development and nutritional evaluation of local ingredients‐based supplements to treat moderate acute malnutrition among children aged below five years: A descriptive study from rural Wolaita, Southern Ethiopia

“…Concentrated energy is an essential quality of foods developed for children with MAM, given their increased energy requirements (Singh et al, 2011). The energy contents of all four LIBS were beyond the indicated minimum amount of 380 kcal for fortified blended foods (Amegovu et al, 2013).…”

“…Dietary fiber plays a vital role in the digestion process. Mainly, soluble fiber conveys prebiotic properties, whereas insoluble fiber averts constipation (Amegovu et al, 2013). However, constipation is not the most important concern in malnourished children.…”

“…Children with MAM have nutritional requirements that differ from nonmalnourished and SAM children (WHO, 2012). They need a high energy intake and essential nutrients to recover the existing deficiencies and to support normal growth (Amegovu et al, 2013;Karakochuk et al, 2012). Diets deficient in important nutrients, combined with a high burden of infectious disease, are among the underlying causes of malnutrition in young children (Nga et al, 2013).…”

Stability of Sorgum, Peanut Blende (Spb) Food Supplement under Ambient Conditions for Treatment of Moderate Acute Malnutrition in Children 6-59 Months

“…Its efficacy and sensory acceptability were previously reported (Amegovu et al, 2014). Indigenous grains such as sorghum, millet especially in Africa are not being used to their full potential as a result of importation and price subsidies on wheat (Macauley, 2015).…”