Managing Undernutrition in Pediatric Oncology: A Consensus Statement Developed Using the Delphi Method by the Polish Society for Clinical Nutrition of Children and the Polish Society of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology.

"Managing Undernutrition in Pediatric Oncology" is a collaborative consensus statement of the Polish Society for Clinical Nutrition of Children and the Polish Society of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology. The early identification and accurate management of malnutrition in children receiving anticancer treatment are crucial components to integrate into comprehensive medical care. Given the scarcity of high-quality literature on this topic, a consensus statement process was chosen over other approaches, such as guidelines, to provide comprehensive recommendations. Nevertheless, an extensive literature review using the PubMed database was conducted. The following terms, namely pediatric, childhood, cancer, pediatric oncology, malnutrition, undernutrition, refeeding syndrome, nutritional support, and nutrition, were used. The consensus was reached through the Delphi method. Comprehensive recommendations aim to identify malnutrition early in children with cancer and optimize nutritional interventions in this group. The statement underscores the importance of baseline and ongoing assessments of nutritional status and the identification of the risk factors for malnutrition development, and it presents tools that can be used to achieve these goals. This consensus statement establishes a standardized approach to nutritional support, aiming to optimize outcomes in pediatric cancer patients.

Burden of undernutrition among under-five Bengali children and its determinants: Findings from Demographic and Health Surveys of Bangladesh and India.

BACKGROUND: Globally, undernutrition is the leading cause of mortality among under-five children. Bangladesh and India were in the top ten countries in the world for under-five mortality. The aim of the study was to investigate the nutritional status of Bengali under-five children. METHODS: Data on 25938 under-five children were retrieved from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017-18 (BDHS) and the National Family Health Survey of India 2015-16 (NFHS-4). Stunting, wasting, underweight and thinness were considered to understand the nutritional status of under-five children. Binary logistic regression was used to identify associated factors of undernutrition among children. RESULTS: Over one-quarter of Bengali under-five children were found to be suffering from the problem of stunting (31.9%) and underweight (28.1%), while other nutritional indicators raised serious concern and revealed inter-country disparities. In the cases of wasting, underweight and thinness, the mean z-scores and frequency differences between Bangladesh and India were significant. The nutritional status of Bengali under-five children appeared to have improved in Bangladesh compared to India. Child undernutrition had significant relations with maternal undernutrition in both countries. Girls in Bangladesh had slightly better nutritional status than boys. In Bangladesh, lack of formal education among mothers was a leading cause of child undernutrition. Stunting and underweight coexist with low household wealth index in both counties. CONCLUSIONS: The research revealed that various factors were associated with child undernutrition in Bengalis. It has been proposed that programmes promoting maternal education and nutrition, along with household wealth index be prioritised. The study recommends that the Governments of Bangladesh and India should increase the budget for health of children so as to reach the sustainable development goals.

Geospatial and environmental determinants of stunting, wasting, and underweight: Empirical evidence from rural South and Southeast Asia.

OBJECTIVE: Child malnutrition, comprising of undernutrition and obesity, is a global concern with severe implications for survival, leading to acute and chronic diseases that adversely affect the productivity of individuals and society. Asia shoulders the greatest burden, with 7 out of 10 undernourished children residing in the region. Despite the decline in global child stunting, particularly in Asia, its prevalence remains significant. In 2017, an estimated 151 million children under five experienced stunting, and an additional 38 million were overweight, with Africa and Asia accounting for 25% and 46% of the global figures, respectively. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the geospatial and environmental determinants of undernutrition in rural South and Southeast Asia. METHODS: To explore the geospatial and environmental determinants of undernutrition (stunting, wasting, and underweight), we use Poisson regression and the data from recent rounds of the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste. RESULTS: This study found a high prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight among children aged 0 to 59 months in rural areas of South and Southeast Asia, with considerable variation between countries and clusters/primary sampling units. Results show a positive association between child malnutrition and factors such as maternal illiteracy, unsafe drinking water, and dirty cooking fuel in South and Southeast Asia. Children from impoverished households in India, Pakistan, and Cambodia were disproportionately affected. In addition to socio-economic factors, climatic risks such as temperature increase and rainfall variations also emerged as important determinants of child malnutrition in India, Bangladesh, and Timor-Leste. CONCLUSIONS: This paper emphasizes the role of environmental and climatic factors on child nutrition, underscoring their significance regardless of socio-economic conditions. As the impacts of climate change continue to intensify, and agrarian societies bear the brunt, these factors will play a critical role in shaping child nutritional outcomes. Thus, amid growing climate change, nutritional security should be prioritized, considering the spatial domain and targeting climate distress areas along with other socio-economic and demographic aspects.

Trends in social determinants of inequality in child undernutrition from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys, 2005-2016.

BACKGROUND: While child undernutrition has been eliminated in some middle-income countries, it remains highly prevalent in sub-Sahara African (SSA) and South Asian regions, and is disproportionately concentrated among the poor. In this study, we estimated trends in child undernutrition by social determinants and related risks from wealth inequality in Ethiopia, from 2005 to 2016. METHOD: We analyzed data from three consecutive surveys (2005, 2011, and 2016) from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. First, we estimated trends in the prevalence of childhood undernutrition variables (stunting, underweight, and wasting) and social determinants (household wealth status, education level, place of residence, and administrative regions). Then we assessed evidence of undernutrition by wealth-related inequality with concentration curves (visual) and concentration indeces (quantitative). A multilevel mixed-effect Poisson regression model was used to identify predictors of undernutrition variables expressed as covariate-adjusted rate ratios, with 95% confidence intervals (RRs, 95%CI). RESULT: A total of 23,934 mother-child pairs were obtained from the three surveys. The average prevalence decreased by 12.4 percentage points for stunting (from 50.8 to 38.4%, P<0.01), 9.5 percentage points for underweight (33.2% to23.7%, P<0.01), and 2.1 percentage points for wasting (12.2% to10.1%, P<0.01). There was persistent and statistically evidence of wealth inequality in stunting, underweight, and wasting (concentration indeces of -0.2 to -0.04, all P values <0.05). Stunting, underweight, and wasting variables were associated with male sex of the child (RR 0.94, 0.95, 0.85, all P-values <0.01) recent diarrhea (RR 1.18, 1.27, 1.37, all P-values <0.01), secondary education status of the mother (RR 0.66, 0.57, 0.61, all P-values < 0.057), increasing wealth index (richest) (RR 0.73, 0.70, 0.50, all P-values < 0.05), and having no toilet facility (RR 1.16, 1.22, 1.18, all P-values < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Despite the decreased burden of stunting and underweight, the prevalence of wasting remained relatively unchanged in Ethiopia from 2005 to 2016. Moreover, wealth-related inequality in child undernutrition increased for most of the child undernutrition indicators during this period. Social determinants of child undernutrition warrant urgent implementation of strategies to reduce their health impacts in SSA.

Enfermedades emergentes, pobreza y hambre / Emerging diseases, poverty and hunger

La pobreza y el hambre son elementos significativos para la prevalencia de las enfermedades emergentes, además de la ignorancia, la indigencia, las falencias sanitarias y los cambios ambientales debidos al calentamiento global. La desnutrición es consecuencia de la pobreza y ésta es causa de desnutrición. Los niños que viven en condiciones de mayor vulnerabilidad tienen un riesgo alto de morir por diarrea, neumonía y enfermedades emergentes. La mayoría son desnutridos. Su futuro en la adultez guarda relación con la desnutrición en la infancia. En el mundo 820 millones de niños padecen hambre y mueren anualmente 3 millones de menores de 5 años, según datos del Fondo de las Naciones Unidas para la Infancia. En Argentina, según datos del segundo semestre de 2022, un 39,2% de la población es pobre (Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas y Censos). El 15,5% de niños y adolescentes padecen inseguridad alimentaria y 2 millones de niños padecen hambre (Médicos sin Fronteras). La tasa de mortalidad infantil en menores de 5 años tiene una prevalencia del 0,4%. Los cambios climáticos ejercen influencia sobre la salud, produciendo cambios en la epidemiologia de las enfermedades emergentes, mientras que la insuficiente alimentación ocasiona efectos negativos sobre la salud. El calentamiento global aumenta las inundaciones y las sequías, incidiendo en la escasez de alimentos e incrementando las enfermedades emergentes. La situación debe ser revertida mediante el desarrollo sostenido de la educación, el bienestar social y los proyectos sanitarios. (AU)

Poverty and hunger are significant elements for the prevalence of emerging diseases, in addition to ignorance, indigence, sanitary deficiencies and environmental changes due to global warming. Malnutrition is a consequence of poverty and poverty is a cause of malnutrition. Children living in more vulnerable conditions are at greater risk of dying from diarrhea, pneumonia and emerging diseases. Most are malnourished. Their future in adulthood is related to malnutrition in childhood. Worldwide, 820 million children suffer from hunger and 3 million children under 5 die annually (United Nations Children's Fund). In Argentina, according to data from the second half of 2022, 39.2% of the population is poor (Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas y Censos). 15.5% of children and adolescents are food insecure and 2 million children are hungry (Médecins Sans Frontières). The infant mortality rate in children under 5 years of age has a prevalence of 0.4%. Climate change influences health, producing changes in the epidemiology of emerging diseases, while insufficient food has negative effects on health. Global warming increases floods and droughts, leading to food shortages and increasing emerging diseases. The situation must be reversed through sustained development of education, social welfare and health projects. (AU)

Lipid-based nutrient supplements for prevention of child undernutrition: when less may be more.

BACKGROUND: Both small-quantity and medium-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) have been used for the prevention of child undernutrition. A meta-analysis of 14 trials of small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) - no LNS showed effects on length-for-age z-score {LAZ, +0.14 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.11, 0.16]} and weight-for-length z-score [WLZ, +0.08 (0.06, 0.10)] z-scores, as well as prevalence ratios (95% CI) for stunting [LAZ < -2, 0.88 (0.85, 0.91)] and wasting [WLZ < -2, 0.86 (0.80, 0.93)]. However, little is known about the effects of medium-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (MQ-LNS) on growth. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the effects of preventive MQ-LNS (∼250-499 kcal/d) provided at ∼6-23 mo of age on growth outcomes - no LNS or provision of SQ-LNS. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of studies of MQ-LNS for prevention, and categorized them as providing <6 mo - ≥6 mo of supplementation; for the latter category, we conducted a meta-analysis, with the main outcomes being change in WLZ and LAZ, and prevalence of wasting and stunting. RESULTS: Three studies provided MQ-LNS for 3-5 mo (seasonal) for children 6-36 mo of age, and did not show consistent effects on growth outcomes. Eight studies provided MQ-LNS for 6-18 mo, generally starting at 6 mo of age; in the meta-analysis (max total n = 13,954), MQ-LNS increased WLZ [+0.09 (95% CI: 0.05, 0.13)] and reduced wasting [0.89 (0.81, 0.97)], but had no effect on LAZ [+0.04 (-0.02, 0.11)] or stunting [0.97 (0.92, 1.02)] - no LNS. Two studies directly compared SQ-LNS and MQ-LNS and showed no significant differences in growth outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The current evidence suggests that MQ-LNS offer no added benefits over SQ-LNS, although further studies directly comparing MQ-LNS with SQ-LNS would be useful. One possible explanation is incomplete consumption of the MQ-LNS ration and thus lower than desirable intake of certain nutrients. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Registry and registry number for systematic reviews or meta-analyses: Registered with PROSPERO as CRD42022382448 on December 18, 2022: =https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022382448.

Protocol for integrated solutions for healthy birth, growth and development: a cluster-randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a mixed nutrition intervention package in reducing child undernutrition in Lao People's Democratic Republic.

INTRODUCTION: While Lao People's Democratic Republic has seen economic gains in recent years, one-third of children aged 5 years and under are stunted. There is a need for evidence around clinically effective and cost-effective integrated nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions in the local context. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We aim to conduct a cluster-randomised control trial to test the effectiveness of an integrated package of community-based nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions compared with the standard government package of nutrition actions. The trial will be in six districts within the province of Vientiane. We will recruit pregnant women in their third trimester and follow the children born to them every 6 months until 18 months of age. A total of 256 villages (serviced by 34 health centres) will be randomised to a control arm or an intervention arm using a minimisation algorithm. The primary outcome is the prevalence of stunting among children aged 6, 12 and 18 months. The secondary outcomes include prevalence of low birth weight and wasting among children aged 6, 12 and 18 months. Analyses for the primary and secondary outcomes will be conducted at the mother-infant dyad level and adjusted for the cluster randomisation. The difference in prevalence of low birth weight, wasting and stunting between control and intervention groups will be assessed using Pearson's χ2 tests and 95% CIs for the group difference, adjusted for clustering. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The trial protocol was approved by the Alfred Human Research Ethic Committee (Ref: 227/16) and the Lao National Ethics Committee for Health Research (Ref: 81). The trial was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry on 28 April 2020 (ACTRN12620000520932). The results will be disseminated at different levels: study participants; the local community; other Lao stakeholders including policymakers; and an international audience. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12620000520932.

Association of access to water, sanitation and handwashing facilities with undernutrition of children below 5 years of age in Bangladesh: evidence from two population-based, nationally representative surveys.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between household access to water, sanitation and handwashing (WaSH) facilities and child undernutrition in Bangladesh. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional study of children less than 5 years using data collected from the 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) and the 2017-2018 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS). OUTCOME MEASURES: Stunting, wasting and underweight, defined as a Z-score <-2 SD for height-for-age, weight-for-height and weight-for-age, respectively. We applied hierarchical multiple binary logistic regression models. RESULTS: Among 30 514 children 0-59 months, there was a high prevalence of child undernutrition (MICS: 28.0% stunted, 9.8% wasted, 22.6% underweight; BDHS: 30.8% stunted, 8.4% wasted, 21.7% underweight). Most children came from households lacking basic sanitation (MICS: 39.1%, BDHS: 55.3%) or handwashing facilities (MICS: 43.8%, BDHS: 62.6%). Children from households without access to WaSH facilities experienced the highest rates of undernutrition. Exposure-specific adjusted logistic regression models showed that a lack of access to improved water sources was associated with greater odds of wasting (MICS: adjusted OR (AOR) 1.36, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.85, p<0.05); basic sanitation facility with higher rates of stunting (MICS: 1.13, 1.04 to 1.23, p<0.01) and underweight (BDHS: 1.18, 1.02 to 1.37, p<0.05); and a lack of handwashing facilities with stunting (BDHS: 1.27, 1.10 to 1.48, p<0.01) and underweight (MICS: 1.10, 1.01 to 1.19, p<0.05). In fully adjusted models, no basic sanitation facility was associated with higher odds of stunting (MICS: AOR 1.12, 1.03 to 1.22, p<0.01) and a lack of handwashing facilities with higher odds of underweight (BDHS: AOR 1.30, 1.10 to 1.54, p<0.01;MICS: AOR 1.09, 1.01 to 1.19, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate a significant association between poor household WaSH facilities and high prevalence of child undernutrition. Improving WaSH may help reduce child undernutrition in Bangladesh.

Undernutrition and associated factors among children aged 6-59 months in nutrition-sensitive agriculture intervention implemented Basona district, North Shewa Zone, Amhara region, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: In Ethiopia, child malnutrition is a significant public health problem. To address the problem, Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture (NSA) program was introduced. However, there is a paucity of evidence about the prevalence of child undernutrition in NSA-implemented districts. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of undernutrition among children aged 6-59 months in NSA-implemented districts. METHOD: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted by enrolling 422 children aged 6-59 months paired with their mothers. A systematic sampling technique was used to select respondents. Data were collected by Open Data Kit (ODK) data collection platform, and Stata version 16 was used for analysis. The multivariable logistic analysis model was fitted to assess the association between variables, and 95% CI was estimated to measure the strength of the association. The level of statistical significance was declared at a p-value of less than 0.05 in the multivariable model. RESULT: Overall, 406 respondents participated in the study, and a response rate of 96.2% was obtained. The prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight was 24.1% (95% CI: 19.9-28.4), 8.87% (95% CI: 6.3-12.1) and 19.95% (95% CI: 16.2-24.2), respectively. Household food insecurity was significantly associated with being underweight (AOR: 3.31, 95% CI (1.7-6.3). Child dietary diversity (AOR: 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01-0.48) and being a beneficiary of the NSA (AOR: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.02-0.96) program were associated with wasting. Lack of ANC visits and diarrhea in the past two weeks was associated with stunting and wasting, respectively. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of malnutrition was a moderate public health problem. Wasting was more prevalent than the recent national and Amhara region averages. However, the prevalence of stunting and underweight was lower than the national average and other studies conducted in Ethiopia. Healthcare providers should work to increase dietary diversity, ANC visits, and reduce diarrheal disease.

DESNUTRICIÓN SECUNDARIA A ENFERMEDAD: PAUTAS PARA UN APROPIADO DIAGNÓSTICO Y ABORDAJE EN NIÑOS PEQUEÑOS EN LA PRÁCTICA CLÍNICA / DISEASE-ASSOCAITED UNDERNUTRITION: GUIDELINES FOR AN ADEQUATE DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENTE OF INFANTS IN THE CLINICAL PRACTICE

La desnutrición secundaria a enfermedad afecta no solo el crecimiento y desarrollo del niño, sino que impacta sobre el pronóstico y la sobrevida. Estos efectos son más graves y dejan secuelas permanentes si la desnutrición afecta el primer año de vida. La definición de esta entidad fue revisada recientemente por asociaciones científicas para identificar mejor a los pacientes, comprender la fisiopatología de la desnutrición y sumar herramientas de diagnóstico y abordaje. El objetivo de la presente revisión es describir aspectos específicos de la desnutrición secundaria a enfermedad y ofrecer pautas para un adecuado diagnóstico, interpretación de su fisiopatología y abordaje de niños pequeños en la práctica clínica pediátrica

Disease-associated undernutrition affects not only the child's growth and development, but also has impact on prognosis and survival. These effects are more severe and produce permanent sequelae if undernutrition affects the first year of life. The definition of this entity has recently been revised by scientific associations to better identify patients, understand the pathophysiology of undernutrition and add diagnostic and management tools. The objective of this review is to describe specific aspects of disease-associated undernutrition secondary to disease and offer guidelines for an adequate diagnosis, interpretation of its pathophysiology, and management of children in clinical practice

RUTF (ready-to-use-therapeutic-food): eficácia e segurança no tratamento de crianças com desnutrição grave / RUTF (Ready-to-use-therapeutic-food): efficacy and safety in the treatment of children with severe malnutrition

Contexto O Ministério da Saúde, por meio da Portaria GM/MS nº 28, de 20 de janeiro de 2023, declarou a Emergência em Saúde Pública de Importância Nacional (ESPIN) em decorrência de desassistência à população Yanomami. Desde então, entre 19 crianças indígenas de seis meses e cinco anos de idade com desnutrição grave que foram atendidas pela Casa de Apoio à Saúde Indígena (Casai) de Boa Vista/RR, 15 (78%) ganharam peso e estão evoluindo de quadros graves para moderados de desnutrição, a partir dos protocolos e diretrizes do Ministério da Saúde. No Brasil, a recomendação do Ministério da Saúde para o tratamento da desnutrição grave inclui esquemas para alimentação utilizando preparado alimentar inicial ­ F-75 (75 kcal e 0,9g de proteína/100ml) e o preparado alimentar para crescimento rápido - F-100 (100 kcal e 2,9g de proteína/100ml). O guia de prática clínica (GPC) da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) refere que a maioria das crianças de seis meses ou mais com desnutrição aguda grave, sem complicações médicas, pode ser tratada com segurança por meio de alimentos terapêuticos prontos para uso (Ready-to-use-therapeutic-food - RUTF), sem necessidade de internação em unidade de saúde. Pergunta Qual é a segurança e eficácia de RUTF, no curto e longo prazo, para o tratamento de crianças menores de cinco anos com desnutrição grave? Métodos Após realização de protocolo de pesquisa, cinco bases da literatura eletrônica foram acessadas em março de 2023 para identificar estudos que pudessem oferecer resposta à pergunta de investigação. Utilizando atalhos de revisão rápida, foram realizados os processos de seleção de estudos, extração de dados e avaliação da qualidade metodológica das RS incluídas com a ferramenta AMSTAR 2. Resultados Duas revisões sistemáticas (RS) foram incluídas, sendo avaliadas como de confiança baixa e moderada. Uma RS realizou metanálises, indicando que não houve diferença entre os grupos RUTF e F-100 para ganho de peso e mortalidade. A maioria dos estudos primários, 3 de 5 ensaios clínicos randomizados (ECR) citados nas RS mostram que não houve diferença entre os grupos RUTF e F-100 quanto à altura, circunferência do braço e desnutrição aguda. Dois estudos primários incluídos nas RS indicam que o tratamento com RUFT apresenta os seguintes resultados positivos: maior probabilidade de atingir o escore Z de peso para altura; menor probabilidade de recaída e de recidiva; melhora no ganho de peso e redução do tempo de recuperação. Ressalta-se que um destes ECR apresenta conflito de interesses. Nenhuma RS analisou desfechos acerca da segurança do uso de RUTF. Dois GPC da Organização Mundial da Saúde foram selecionados mediante busca manual. Um GPC recomenda que o RUTF pode ser utilizado para crianças com desnutrição aguda grave que apresentam diarreia aguda ou persistente da mesma forma que crianças sem diarreia, quer sejam tratadas como pacientes internados ou ambulatoriais. O outro GPC recomenda que para tratamento ambulatorial de crianças com desnutrição aguda grave seja utilizado o RUTF padrão (com pelo menos 50% de proteína proveniente de laticínios). Considerações finais Esta revisão rápida aponta que há poucos estudos sobre o tema. As evidências são insuficientes para afirmar quais intervenções (RUTF ou F-100) são mais eficazes. As recomendações dos GPC também são baseadas em evidências escassas. Portanto, não há evidências que sustentem o uso do RUTF em detrimento da F-100, pois não há comprovação de maior eficácia e nenhum estudo abordou a segurança a longo prazo do uso de RUTF.

Context: The Ministry of Health, through Ordinance GM/MS No. 28, of January 20, 2023, declared a Public Health Emergency of National Importance (ESPIN) due to lack of assistance to the Yanomami population. Since then, among 19 indigenous children aged between six months and five years old with severe malnutrition who were assisted by the Casa de Apoio à Saúde Indígena (Casai) in Boa Vista/RR, 15 (78%) have gained weight and are evolving from serious conditions. for moderate malnutrition, based on the protocols and guidelines of the Ministry of Health. In Brazil, the recommendation of the Ministry of Health for the treatment of severe malnutrition includes feeding schemes using initial food preparation - F-75 (75 kcal and 0.9g of protein/100ml) and food preparation for rapid growth - F-100 (100 kcal and 2.9g of protein/100ml). The clinical practice guide (CPG) of the World Health Organization (WHO) states that most children aged six months or more with severe acute malnutrition, without medical complications, can be safely treated with ready-to-use therapeutic foods ( Ready-to-use-therapeutic-food - RUTF), without the need for hospitalization in a health unit. Question: What is the safety and efficacy of RUTF, in the short and long term, for the treatment of children under five with severe malnutrition? Methods: After carrying out a research protocol, five electronic literature databases were accessed in March 2023 to identify studies that could answer the research question. Using rapid review shortcuts, the processes of study selection, data extraction and methodological quality assessment of the SR included with the AMSTAR 2 tool were carried out. Results: Two systematic reviews (SR) were included, being assessed as having low and moderate confidence. An SR performed meta-analyses, indicating that there was no difference between the RUTF and F-100 groups for weight gain and mortality. Most of the primary studies, 3 out of 5 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) cited in the SR show that there was no difference between the RUTF and F-100 groups in terms of height, arm circumference and acute malnutrition. Two primary studies included in the SR indicate that treatment with RUFT has the following positive outcomes: increased likelihood of achieving weight-for-height Z-score; lower probability of relapse and recurrence; improvement in weight gain and reduced recovery time. It should be noted that one of these RCTs has a conflict of interest. No SR analyzed outcomes regarding the safety of using RUTF. Two World Health Organization CPGs were selected by manual search. A CPG recommends that RUTF can be used for children with severe acute malnutrition who have acute or persistent diarrhea in the same way as children without diarrhea, whether they are treated as inpatients or outpatients. The other CPG recommends that standard RUTF be used for outpatient treatment of children with severe acute malnutrition (with at least 50% protein from dairy products). Final considerations: This quick review points out that there are few studies on the subject. There is insufficient evidence to state which interventions (RUTF or F-100) are most effective. The CPGs recommendations are also based on sparse evidence. Therefore, there is no evidence to support the use of RUTF over F-100, as there is no evidence of greater efficacy and no study has addressed the long-term safety of using RUTF.

How Can Nutrition Research Better Reflect the Relationship Between Wasting and Stunting in Children? Learnings from the Wasting and Stunting Project.

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.

Multivariate small area modelling of undernutrition prevalence among under-five children in Bangladesh.

District-representative data are rarely collected in the surveys for identifying localised disparities in Bangladesh, and so district-level estimates of undernutrition indicators - stunting, wasting and underweight - have remained largely unexplored. This study aims to estimate district-level prevalence of these indicators by employing a multivariate Fay-Herriot (MFH) model which accounts for the underlying correlation among the undernutrition indicators. Direct estimates (DIR) of the target indicators and their variance-covariance matrices calculated from the 2019 Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey microdata have been used as input for developing univariate Fay-Herriot (UFH), bivariate Fay-Herriot (BFH) and MFH models. The comparison of the various model-based estimates and their relative standard errors with the corresponding direct estimates reveals that the MFH estimator provides unbiased estimates with more accuracy than the DIR, UFH and BFH estimators. The MFH model-based district level estimates of stunting, wasting and underweight range between 16 and 43%, 15 and 36%, and 6 and 13% respectively. District level bivariate maps of undernutrition indicators show that districts in north-eastern and south-eastern parts are highly exposed to either form of undernutrition, than the districts in south-western and central parts of the country. In terms of the number of undernourished children, millions of children affected by either form of undernutrition are living in densely populated districts like the capital district Dhaka, though undernutrition indicators (as a proportion) are comparatively lower. These findings can be used to target districts with a concurrence of multiple forms of undernutrition, and in the design of urgent intervention programs to reduce the inequality in child undernutrition at the localised district level.

Direito Humano à Alimentação Adequada: um olhar para a pobreza extrema e a desnutrição infantil a partir da obra de Amartya Sen / Human Right to Adequate Food: an essay on extreme poverty and child malnutrition based on Amartya Sen

Resumo A promoção e garantia do Direito Humano à Alimentação Adequada (DHAA) é ponto central do combate à fome e à desnutrição infantil no Brasil, agravada pela situação da pobreza extrema, permitindo um aumento da expectativa de vida. O Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano (IDH) foi criado por Amartya Sen para transformar a ideia reducionista do desenvolvimento econômico, a fim de ampliar a concepção de progresso humano a partir da expansão das capacidades e das liberdades no capitalismo. O objetivo deste estudo foi relacionar as condições de pobreza, fome e desnutrição infantil à promoção da alimentação saudável, a partir do conceito de desenvolvimento como liberdade descrito na obra de Amartya Sen. A saúde e o desenvolvimento humano interligam-se e, quando analisados pela situação da extrema pobreza, intensificam os seus efeitos restritivos ao acesso à alimentação saudável. Urge a compreensão de que as políticas públicas precisam atuar em sinergia entre as áreas de saúde, alimentação, educação, renda, entre outros, considerando a intersetorialidade da segurança alimentar e nutricional.

Abstract Ensuring the Human Right to Adequate Food (HRAF) is a key point in the fight against hunger and child malnutrition in Brazil, aggravated by the context of extreme poverty, allowing an increase in life expectancy. The Human Development Index (HDI) was created by Amartya Sen to transform the reductionist idea of economic development to broaden the concept of human progress based on the expansion of capabilities and freedoms under capitalism. This study aims to relate the conditions of poverty, hunger, and child malnutrition to the healthy eating promotion, based on Amartya Sen's concept of development as freedom. Health and human development are interconnected and, when analyzed in contexts of extreme poverty, intensify their restrictive effects on access to healthy food. Public policies need to urgently act in synergy with the areas of health, food, education, income, among others, considering the intersectoriality of food and nutritional safety.

Analysis of scientific production aligned with the Food and Nutrition Security Strategy of Portuguese-Speaking African Institutions: a systematic scoping review / Análise da produção científica alinhada com a Estratégia de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional das Instituições Africanas de Língua Portuguesa: uma revisão sistemática de escopo

ABSTRACT This systematic scoping review aimed to map and characterize the scientific production of researchers from Portuguese-speaking African institutions that align with the Food and Nutrition Security Strategy of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries. The literature search was conducted using six electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Virtual Health Library, Scientific Electronic Library Online, Scopus, and Web of Science), with no restrictions on the year of publication nor language. Through the search strategy, 10,061 records were identified, of which 502 documents and 654 researchers were selected by Food and Nutrition Security specialists along three axes: 1) Policy governance; 2) Access to food; 3) Availability of food. Institutional researchers from Mozambique (66.9%), Guinea-Bissau (15.9%), and Angola (11.4%) presented the most publications and international collaborations. Researchers from Cape Verde, Sao Tome and Principe, and Equatorial Guinea institutions added only 5.8% of the total production. A greater number of publications (61%) was related to axis two of the Food and Nutrition Security Strategy of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries. The most studied themes were sustainable development, child malnutrition, and agricultural production for the first, second, and third axis, respectively. In general, scientific publications have shown limitations in their approaches due to the challenge imposed by the complexity of the food system. However, there has been a quantitative evolution in publications in the last decade, with a greater participation of researchers from Portuguese-speaking African institutions.

RESUMO Esta revisão sistemática de escopo teve como objetivo mapear e caracterizar a produção científica de pesquisadores de instituições africanas de língua portuguesa que se alinham com a Estratégia de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional da Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa. A busca das literaturas foi realizada em seis bases de dados eletrônicas (PubMed, EMBASE, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde, Scientific Electronic Library Online, Scopus e Web of Science), sem restrição quanto ao ano de publicação e ao idioma. Por meio da estratégia de busca, foram identificados 10.061 registros, dos quais 502 documentos e 654 pesquisadores foram selecionados por especialistas em Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional em três eixos: 1) Governança de políticas; 2) Acesso à alimentação; 3) Disponibilidade de alimentos. Pesquisadores de intuições de Moçambique (66,9%), Guiné-Bissau (15,9%) e Angola (11,4%) foram os que apresentaram o maior número de publicações e colaborações internacionais. No entanto, os pesquisadores das instituições de Cabo Verde, São Tomé e Príncipe e Guiné Equatorial somaram apenas 5,8% da produção total. Foi observado maior número de publicações (61%) relacionadas com o eixo dois da Estratégia de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional da Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa. As temáticas mais estudadas foram desenvolvimento sustentável, desnutrição infantil e produção agrícola para o primeiro, segundo e terceiro eixo, respectivamente. De forma geral, as publicações científicas mostraram limitações em suas abordagens frente ao desafio imposto pela complexidade do sistema alimentar. Todavia, foi houve uma evolução quantitativa nas publicações na última década; além disso, maior participação de pesquisadores de instituições africanas de língua portuguesa pode ser vislumbrada.

Estratégias para prevenção e manejo da desnutrição crônica em crianças menores de cinco anos / Strategies for the prevention and management of chronic malnutrition in children under five years of age

O problema: A desnutrição se refere a deficiências, excessos ou desequilíbrios na ingestão de energia e/ou nutrientes. O déficit de altura resulta em baixa estatura para a idade, e geralmente está associada a condições socioeconômicas adversas, saúde e nutrição materna precárias, doenças frequentes e/ou alimentação e cuidados inadequados das crianças no início da vida. No Brasil, estima-se que a prevalência de baixa estatura para a idade é de 7% em crianças menores de cinco anos. Esta revisão teve como objetivo identificar opções para políticas de prevenção e manejo de déficit de altura em crianças menores de cinco anos. Opções para enfrentar o problema: As buscas nas bases de dados recuperaram 558 revisões sistemáticas (RS), sendo complementadas por sete RS identificadas em busca manual. Após processo de seleção, 28 RS atenderam aos critérios de elegibilidade e foram incluídas nesta revisão narrativa. As estratégias de prevenção e manejo de déficit de altura em crianças menores de 5 anos analisadas nas RS foram categorizadas conforme similaridade em oito opções, apresentadas a seguir. Efeitos positivos foram relatados nas RS para uma variedade de estratégias, no entanto, algumas incertezas também foram apontadas. Com relação à qualidade metodológica, sete RS foram classificadas como de confiança alta, uma confiança moderada, oito confiança baixa e doze confiança criticamente baixa.

The problem: Malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in energy and/or nutrient intake. Height deficit results in low height for age, and is usually associated with adverse socioeconomic conditions, poor maternal health and nutrition, frequent illnesses and/or inadequate feeding and care of children in early life. In Brazil, it is estimated that the prevalence of low height for age is 7% in children under five years of age. This review aimed to identify policy options for the prevention and management of stunting in children under five years of age. Options to deal with the problem: Searches in the databases retrieved 558 systematic reviews (SR), complemented by seven SRs identified in a manual search. After the selection process, 28 SR met the eligibility criteria and were included in this narrative review. The height deficit prevention and management strategies in children under 5 years of age analyzed in the SR were categorized according to similarity in eight options, presented below. Positive effects were reported on the SR for a variety of strategies, however, some uncertainties were also pointed out. Regarding methodological quality, seven SR were classified as having high confidence, one moderate confidence, eight low confidence and twelve critically low confidence.

Social network of malnourished children and its association with family's food and nutritional security / Rede social de crianças desnutridas e sua relação com a segurança alimentar e nutricional da família

Abstract Objectives: evaluate the relationship between family's food and nutrition insecurity (FNI) and the social network of malnourished children. Methods: cross-sectional study with 92 children, included in the economic class D-E. For the analysis of the children's social network, the mothers answered four simple questions. To investigate the FNI, the Brazilian Scale of Food Insecurity was used. The association between variables was analyzed by Poisson regression with robust analysis of variances. Results: 56.5% of the children had a weak social network (<10 individuals), and the prevalence of FNI was 72.8%. An inverse association was observed between children of the daily social network and FNI family (OR=0.94; CI95%=0.89-0.99], p=0.03). The number of individuals in the children's daily social network was negatively associated with the likelihood of FNI. The mother's educational level was also related to FNI (OR=2.20 [CI95%=1.11-4.34]; p=0.02), being the child up to 2.2 times more likely to be in FNI when the mother has less than four years of study. Conclusion: these results suggest that social network is associated with the FNI of malnourished children. Interventions designed to strengthen instrumental and other forms of support among small social networks can improve the health/nutrition of malnourished children with FNI.

Resumo Objetivos: avaliar a relação entre a insegurança alimentar e nutricional (IAN) da família e a rede social de crianças desnutridas. Métodos: estudo transversal com 92 crianças, inseridas na classe econômica D-E. Para a análise da rede social das crianças, as mães responderam quatro perguntas simples. Para investigar a IAN foi utilizada a Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar. A associação entre as variáveis foi analisada por regressão de Poisson com análise robusta das variâncias. Resultados: 56,5% das crianças apresentaram rede social fraca (<10 indivíduos), e a prevalência de IAN foi de 72,8%. Foi observada uma associação inversa entre rede social diária das crianças e IAN da família (RP=0,94, [IC95%=0,89-0,99]; p=0,03). O número de indivíduos na rede social diária das crianças se associou negativamente com a probabilidade de IAN. O nível de escolaridade materno também estava relacionado com a IAN (RP=2,20 [IC95%=1,11-4,34]; p=0,02), tendo a criança até 2,2 vezes mais probabilidade de estar em IAN quando a mãe apresenta menos de quatro anos de estudo. Conclusão: esses resultados sugerem que a rede social está associada à IAN de crianças desnutridas. Intervenções destinadas a fortalecer maneiras instrumentais e outras formas de apoio entre pequenas redes sociais podem melhorar a saúde/nutrição de crianças desnutridas com IAN.

Seasonality and predictors of childhood stunting and wasting in drought-prone areas in Ethiopia: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Over centuries, Ethiopia has experienced severe famines and periods of serious drought, and malnutrition remains a major public health problem. The aims of this study were to estimate seasonal variations in child stunting and wasting, and identify factors associated with both forms of child malnutrition in drought-prone areas. METHODS: This cohort study was conducted among a random sample of 909 children in rural southern Ethiopia. The same children were followed for 1 year (2017-2018) with quarterly repeated measurements of their outcomes: height-for-age and weight-for-height indices (Z-scores). Linear regression models were used to analyse the association between both outcomes and baseline factors (eg, household participation in a social safety net programme and water access) and some time-varying factors (eg, household food insecurity). RESULTS: Child wasting rates varied with seasonal household food insecurity (ᵪ2 trend = 15.9, p=0.001), but stunting rates did not. Household participation in a social safety net programme was associated with decreased stunting (p=0.001) and wasting (p=0.002). In addition to its association with decreased wasting (p=0.001), protected drinking water access enhanced the association between household participation in a social safety net programme and decreased stunting (p=0.009). Absence of a household latrine (p=0.011), lower maternal education level (p=0.001), larger family size (p=0.004) and lack of non-farming income (p=0.002) were associated with increased child stunting. CONCLUSIONS: Seasonal household food insecurity was associated with child undernutrition in rural Ethiopia. Strengthening community-based food security programmes, such as the Ethiopian social safety net programme, could help to reduce child undernutrition in drought-prone areas. Improving clean water access and sanitation could also decrease child undernutrition.Key terms: Z-scores; Social safety net program; Water access.

Childhood stunting and subsequent educational outcomes: a marginal structural model analysis from a South African longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between childhood stunting and grade completion (as educational outcome) in South Africa. DESIGN: Longitudinal study. Data were obtained using the National Income Dynamics Study over five waves (2008 to 2017). Children were tracked at wave 1 in 2008 until wave 5 in 2017 to determine their total years of schooling. We controlled for time-variant and time-varying confounding with a marginal structural model to estimate the associations between childhood stunting and subsequent grade completion. SETTING: Nationally representative study of South African households. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2629 children aged 2 and 3 years in 2008. RESULTS: We observed a substantial decrease in the prevalence of stunting between wave 1 (28·2 %) and wave 4 (8·6 %). Our marginal structural model results suggest that childhood stunting was significantly associated with decreased odds (22 % less likely) of grade completion (OR = 0·78; 95 % CI: 0·40, 0·86; P = 0·015), while those who were only stunted during early childhood had a 29 % reduction in the odds of grade completion (OR = 0·71; 95 % CI: 0·51, 0·82; P = 0·020). CONCLUSION: These findings underscore the fact that stunting is a significant predictor of academic achievement, whose effects might be long-lasting.