Health inequalities of global protein-energy malnutrition from 1990 to 2019 and forecast prevalence for 2044: data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

OBJECTIVES: Protein-energy malnutrition poses a serious medical problem worldwide. This study aims to describe the global burden, trends, and health inequalities of protein-energy malnutrition and forecasts for future prevalence. STUDY DESIGN: This was a comprehensive analysis based on data provided by the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Global Health Data Exchange query tool, including prevalence, deaths, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and sociodemographic index (SDI). The estimated annual percentage changes were calculated to evaluate temporal trends. We quantified cross-country inequalities in protein-energy malnutrition burden and predicted the prevalence number and rate to 2044. RESULTS: Globally, there were 147,672,757 (130,405,923 to 167,471,359) cases of protein-energy malnutrition in 2019, with 212,242 (185,403 to 246,217) deaths. Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest age-standardised death and DALY rates in 2019. From 1990 to 2019, the global age-standardised prevalence rate of protein-energy malnutrition showed an upward trend, while the age-standardised death rate showed a downward trend. A significant decline occurred in SDI-related health inequality, from 2126.1 DALYs per 100,000 persons between the poorest and richest countries in 1990 to 357.9 DALYs per 100,000 persons in 2019. There was a trend of decreasing age-standardised death and DALY rates along with increases in the SDI. Frontier analyses showed that there is much room for improving the current situation of protein-energy malnutrition in some countries. In the next 35 years, the prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition will continue to increase. CONCLUSION: Although the disease burden of protein-energy malnutrition has greatly decreased since 1990 and health inequalities between countries are shrinking, the prevalence in Asian and African countries may continue to increase. Focussing on regional differences and strengthening the nutritional intake of people in underdeveloped areas are necessary to reduce future burdens.

Burden of Nutritional Deficiencies in China: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

From 1990 to 2019, the age-standardized incidence rate of nutritional deficiencies in China remained stable. However, the age-standardized disability-adjusted life-years (DALY) rate of nutritional deficiencies decreased from 1990 to 2019. Data were extracted from the GBD 2019 datasets. Estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were calculated to assess the incidence rate, and DALY trends of nutritional deficiencies. Measures were stratified by subtypes, regions, and age groups. In 2019, the age-standardized DALY rates of dietary iron deficiency and protein-energy malnutrition reached their highest levels. The main population groups with protein-energy malnutrition and dietary iron deficiency were adults over the age of 70 and children under the age of five. The latter group also had a greater burden of vitamin A deficiency. Zhejiang, Beijing, and Guangdong reported the highest age-standardized incidence rates of nutritional deficiencies, which mainly pertained to protein-energy malnutrition and vitamin A deficiency. Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hainan had the highest age-standardized DALY rates of nutritional deficiencies, which mainly pertained to dietary iron deficiency and protein-energy malnutrition.

Double burden of malnutrition in Nepal: A trend analysis of protein-energy malnutrition and High Body Mass Index using the data from Global Burden of Disease 2010-2019.

BACKGROUND: The co-existence of undernutrition and overnutrition is a global public health threat. We aim to report the burden of both nutritional deficiency (Protein-Energy Malnutrition) and overweight (high Body Mass Index) in Nepal over a decade (2010-2019) and observe the changes through trend charts. METHODS: We did a secondary data analysis using the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)'s Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database to download age-standardized data on Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) and high Body Mass Index (BMI). We presented the trend of death, Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), Years of Life Lost (YLL), and Years Lost due to Disability (YLD) of PEM and high BMI in Nepal from 2010 to 2019 and also compared data for 2019 among South Asian countries. RESULTS: Between 2010 and 2019, in Nepal, the Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) due to PEM were declining while high BMI was in increasing trend. Sex-specific trends revealed that females had higher DALYs for PEM than males. In contrast, males had higher DALYs for high BMI than females. In 2019, Nepal had the highest death rate for PEM (5.22 per 100,000 populations) than any other South Asian country. The burden of PEM in terms of DALY was higher in under-five children (912 per 100,000 populations) and elderly above 80 years old (808.9 per 100,000 populations), while the population aged 65-69 years had the highest burden of high BMI (5893 per 100,000 populations). In the last decade, the DALYs for risk factors contributing to PEM such as child growth failure (stunting and wasting), unsafe water, sanitation and handwashing, and sub-optimal breastfeeding have declined in Nepal. On the contrary, the DALYs for risk factors contributing to high BMI, such as a diet high in sugar-sweetened beverages, a diet high in trans fatty acid, and low physical activity, have increased. This could be a possible explanation for the increasing trend of high BMI and decreasing trend of PEM. CONCLUSION: Rapidly growing prevalence of high BMI and the persistent existence of undernutrition indicate the double burden of malnutrition in Nepal. Public health initiatives should be planned to address this problem.

Global, Regional, and National Burden of Protein-Energy Malnutrition: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study.

BACKGROUND: Statistical data on the prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of protein-energy malnutrition are valuable for health resource planning and policy-making. We aimed to estimate protein-energy malnutrition burdens worldwide according to gender, age, and sociodemographic index (SDI) between 1990 and 2019. METHODS: Detailed data on protein-energy malnutrition from 1990 to 2019 was extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database. The global prevalence, deaths, and DALYs attributable to protein-energy malnutrition and the corresponding age-standardized rates (ASRs) were analyzed. RESULTS: In 2019, the global prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition increased to 14,767,275 cases. The age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR) showed an increasing trend between 1990 and 2019, while the age-standardized deaths rate (ASDR) and age-standardized DALYs rate presented a significantly decreasing trend in the same period. Meanwhile, there was a clearly ASPR, ASDR, and age-standardized DALYs rate downtrend of the prediction curve when the SDI went up. CONCLUSIONS: PEM still has a relatively serious disease burden in the world, especially in children and the elderly. At the same time, this phenomenon will be more obvious due to the aging of the world's population. Effective prevention measures should be strengthened to continuously improve public health conditions.

Assessment of nutritional status in maintenance hemodialysis patients: A multicenter cross-sectional study in Iran.

INTRODUCTION: Protein-energy wasting (PEW) is common in hemodialysis patients and is linked with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Regarding importance of nutrition in these patients, a recent study was administered to evaluate the nutritional status of hemodialysis patients. MATERIALS: In this cross-sectional study 540 HD patients from 15 dialysis centers were evaluated. The nutritional status of the patients was determined by Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), Dialysis Malnutrition Score (DMS), and Malnutrition Inflammation Score (MIS). Their dietary intakes were assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). RESULT: Based on DMS, 66.7% of HD patients were well nourished and the prevalence of mild-to-moderate and severe PEW were 32.4% and 0.9% in HD patients, respectively. Based on MIS, 65.2% of HD patients were well nourished and the prevalence of mild-to-moderate and severe PEW was 34.0%. The prevalence of mild-to-moderate and severe malnutrition based on SGA was 35.0% and 1.1%, respectively. Energy and protein intake in 85.6% and 80.6% of patients respectively were less than the minimum recommended amount. CONCLUSION: HD patients are at risk of malnutrition and in this regard training the patient, periodic assessment of nutritional status, and referring them to a dietitian seems necessary.

Understanding the Mothers of Children with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus in Tanzania.

OBJECTIVE: To identify if there are cultural, medical, educational, economic, nutritional and geographic barriers to the prevention and treatment of spina bifida and hydrocephalus. METHODS: The mothers of infants with spina bifida and hydrocephalus admitted to Muhimbilli Orthopaedic Institute, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, between 2013 and 2014 were asked to complete a questionnaire. A total of 299 infants were identified: 65 with myelomeningoceles, 19 with encephaloceles, and 215 with isolated hydrocephalus. The questionnaire was completed by 294 of the mothers. RESULTS: There was a high variation in the geographic origin of the mothers. Approximately 85% traveled from outside of Dar Es Salaam. The mean age was 29 (15-45) years old with a parity of 3 (1-10). The rates of consanguinity, obesity, antiepileptic medication, HIV seropositivity, and family history were 2%, 13%, 0%, 2%, and 2%, respectively. A maize-based diet was found in 84%, and only 3% of woman took folic acid supplementation, despite 61% of mothers stating that they wished to conceive another baby. Unemployment was high (77%), a low level of education was common (76% not attended any school or obtaining a primary level only), and 20% were single mothers. Hospital only was the preferred method of treatment for 94% of the mothers, and 85% of the babies were born in a hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights some of the cultural, educational, geographic, nutritional, and economic difficulties in the prevention and management of spina bifida and hydrocephalus in Tanzania.

Nutrition Transition in the Post-Economic Crisis of Greece: Assessing the Nutritional Gap of Food-Insecure Individuals. A Cross-Sectional Study.

Food insecurity has risen by 40% in Europe's post-economic crisis, linked to the economic turmoil and austerity. Despite the intensification of efforts to fight all forms of poverty, including the implementation of programs targeted to the most deprived, the study of individuals at risk of food insecurity has been largely neglected. This study aimed to map the nutritional habits and needs of the most deprived in Greece, one of the countries most affected by the economic crisis. Individuals classified as most deprived under the Fund for the European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) criteria (n = 499) from across Greece and an age matched control from the general population (n = 500) were interviewed between December 2017 and December 2019. Participants provided information about demographic characteristics, and self-reported anthropometric measures and nutritional intake of the past month via a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Protein and energy malnutrition were defined as daily intake <1.950 kcal and ≤0.75 g/kg body-weight accordingly. Protein and energy malnutrition were high among FEAD recipients (52.3% and 18.6% respectively, p < 0.001), alongside a high prevalence of overweight and obesity (BMI > 25: 68.4% versus 55.1%; p < 0.001). The diet of FEAD recipients included higher amounts of carbohydrates, lower amounts of monounsaturated fat (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fat (PUFA; p < 0.001 compared to control), larger amounts of plant-based proteins (5.81 ± 1.7 versus 4.94 ± 1.3% E respectively, p < 0.001) and very limited intake of fish (0.07 portions/day). Despite being enrolled in a food assistance program, protein and energy malnutrition is prevalent among Greece's most deprived who experience not only lower diet quality but also the double burden of malnutrition.

Coding for Malnutrition in the Hospital: Does It Change Reimbursement?

Protein calorie malnutrition (PCM) is prevalent in the acute care setting, affecting up to 50% of hospitalized patients. PCM is associated with poor outcomes, including increased hospital and intensive care unit length of stay, hospital readmission rates, incidence of pressure injuries and nosocomial infections, and mortality. PCM is a financial burden on the healthcare system through direct costs related to treatment as well as indirect costs related to poorer outcomes and complications. Medical coding for malnutrition after a patient's hospital stay is poorly representative of the actual prevalence of malnutrition, as only a small percentage of these hospital stays are coded for PCM. Improvements in identification and coding of malnutrition can result in significant increases in hospital reimbursement, which can in part help defray increased costs associated with the condition.

Assessment of Myocardial Function in Kenyan Children With Severe, Acute Malnutrition: The Cardiac Physiology in Malnutrition (CAPMAL) Study.

Importance: Mortality among African children hospitalized with severe malnutrition remains high, with sudden, unexpected deaths leading to speculation about potential cardiac causes. Malnutrition is considered high risk for cardiac failure, but evidence is limited. Objective: To investigate the role of cardiovascular dysfunction in African children with severe, acute malnutrition (SAM). Design, Setting, and Participants: A prospective, matched case-control study, the Cardiac Physiology in Malnutrition (CAPMAL) study, of 88 children with SAM (exposed) vs 22 severity-matched patients without SAM (unexposed) was conducted between March 7, 2011, and February 20, 2012; data analysis was performed from October 1, 2012, to March 1, 2016. Exposures: Echocardiographic and electrocardiographic (ECG) recordings (including 7-day Holter monitoring) at admission, day 7, and day 28. Main Outcomes and Measures: Findings in children with (cases) and without (controls) SAM and in marasmus and kwashiorkor phenotypes were compared. Results: Eighty-eight children (52 with marasmus and 36 with kwashiorkor) of the 418 admitted with SAM and 22 severity-matched controls were studied. A total of 63 children (57%) were boys; median age at admission was 19 months (range, 12-39 months). On admission, abnormalities more common in cases vs controls included severe hypokalemia (potassium <2.5 mEq/L) (18 of 81 [22%] vs 0%), hypoalbuminemia (albumin level <3.4 g/dL) (66 of 88 [75%] vs 4 of 22 [18%]), and hypothyroidism (free thyroxine level <0.70 ng/dL or thyrotropin level >4.2 mU/L) (18 of 74 [24%] vs 1 of 21 [5%]) and were associated with typical electrocardiographic changes (T-wave inversion: odds ratio, 7.3; 95% CI, 1.9-28.0; P = .001), which corrected as potassium levels improved. Fourteen children with SAM (16%) but no controls died. Myocardial mass was lower in cases on admission but not by day 7. Results of the Tei Index, a measure of global cardiac function, were within the reference range and similar in cases (median, 0.37; interquartile range [IQR], 0.26-0.45) and controls (median, 0.36; IQR, 0.28-0.42). Echocardiography detected no evidence of cardiac failure among children with SAM, including those receiving intravenous fluids to correct hypovolemia. Cardiac dysfunction was generally associated with comorbidity and typical of hypovolemia, with low cardiac index (median, 4.9 L/min/m2; IQR, 3.9-6.1 L/min/m2), high systemic vascular resistance index (median, 1333 dyne seconds/cm5/m2; IQR, 1133-1752 dyne seconds/cm5/m2), and with few differences between the marasmus and kwashiorkor manifestations of malnutrition. Seven-day continuous ECG Holter monitoring during the high-risk initial refeeding period demonstrated self-limiting significant ventricular arrhythmias in 33 of 55 cases (60%) and 6 of 18 controls (33%) (P = .049); none were temporally related to adverse events, including fatalities. Conclusions and Relevance: There is little evidence that African children with SAM are at greater risk of cardiac dysfunction or clinically significant arrhythmias than those without SAM or that marasmus and kwashiorkor differed in cardiovascular profile. These findings should prompt a review of current guidelines.

Protein-Energy Malnutrition and Outcomes of Hospitalizations for Heart Failure in the USA.

Chronically elevated cytokines from un-abating low-grade inflammation in heart failure (HF) results in Protein-Energy Malnutrition (PEM). However, the impact of PEM on clinical outcomes of admissions for HF exacerbations has not been evaluated in a national data. From the 2012 to 2014 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) patient's discharge records for primary HF admissions, we identified patients with concomitant PEM, and their demographic and comorbid factors. We propensity-matched PEM cohorts (32,771) to no-PEM controls (1:1) using a greedy algorithm-based methodology and estimated the effect of different clinical outcomes (SAS 9.4). There were 32,771 (∼163,885) cases of PEM among the 541,679 (∼2,708,395) primary admissions for HF between 2012 and 2014 in the US. PEM cases were older (PEM:76 vs no-PEM:72 years), Whites (70.75% vs 67.30%), and had higher comorbid burden, with Deyo-comorbidity index >3 (31.61% vs 26.30%). However, PEM cases had lower rates of obesity, hyperlipidemia and diabetes. After propensity-matching, PEM was associated with higher mortality (AOR:2.48 [2.31 to 2.66]), cardiogenic shock (3.11[2.79 to 3.46]), cardiac arrest (2.30[1.96 to 2.70]), acute kidney failure (1.49[1.44 to 1.54]), acute respiratory failure (1.57[1.51 to 1.64]), mechanical ventilation (2.72[2.50 to 2.97]). PEM also resulted in higher non-routine discharges (2.24[2.17 to 2.31]), hospital cost ($80,534[78,496 to 82,625] vs $43,226[42,376 to 44,093]) and longer duration of admission (8.6[8.5 to 8.7] vs 5.3[5.2 to 5.3] days). In conclusion, PEM is a prevailing comorbidity among hospitalized HF subjects, and results in devastating health outcomes. Early identification and prevention of PEM in HF subjects during clinic visits and prompt treatment of PEM both in the clinic and during hospitalization are essential to decrease the excess burden of PEM.

Prevalence and Risk of Protein-Energy Wasting Assessed by Subjective Global Assessment in Older Adults With Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease: Results From the EQUAL Study.

OBJECTIVES: Prevalence and risk factors for protein-energy wasting (PEW) are poorly studied in the nondialysis, older population with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence of PEW in advanced stage CKD patients aged greater than 65 years. Furthermore, we aimed to describe risk factors for PEW in the overall study population and among obese individuals. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study. METHODS: The EQUAL study, a European Quality Study on treatment in advanced chronic kidney disease, is a multicenter prospective observational cohort study in six European countries. We included patients aged ≥65 years with incident glomerular filtration rate <20mL/min/1.73m2 not on dialysis attending nephrology care. PEW was assessed by 7-point Subjective Global Assessment (7-p SGA). RESULTS: In general, the study cohort (n = 1,334) was overweight (mean body mass index [BMI] 28.4 kg/m2). The majority of the patients had a normal nutritional status (SGA 6-7), 26% had moderate PEW (SGA 3-5), and less than 1% had severe PEW (SGA 1-2). Muscle wasting and loss of fat tissue were the most frequent alterations according to the SGA subscales, especially in those aged >80 years. The prevalence of PEW was higher among women, increased with age, and was higher in those with depression/dementia. PEW was the most common in those with underweight (BMI <22 kg/m2), 55% or normal weight (BMI 22-25 kg/m2), 40%. In obese individuals (BMI >30 kg/m2), 25% were diagnosed with protein wasting. Risk factors for SGA ≤5 in obese people were similar to those for the overall study population. CONCLUSION: This European multicenter study shows that the prevalence of PEW is high in patients with advanced CKD aged >65 years. The risk of PEW increases substantially with age and is commonly characterized by muscle wasting. Our study suggests that focus on nutrition should start early in the follow-up of older adults with CKD.

STATE-LEVEL DIETARY DIVERSITY AS A CONTEXTUAL DETERMINANT OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN IN INDIA: A MULTILEVEL APPROACH.

This study aimed to identify the determinants of nutritional status of children in India with a special focus on dietary diversity at the state level. Household-level consumption data from three rounds of the Consumer Expenditure Survey of the National Sample Survey Organization (1993-2012) were used. Information on the nutritional status of children was taken from the National Family Health Survey (2005-06). Dietary diversity indices were constructed at the state level to examine diversity in quantity of food consumed and food expenditure. Multilevel regression analysis was applied to examine the association of state-level dietary diversity and other socioeconomic factors with the nutritional status of children. It was observed that significant variation in childhood stunting, wasting and underweight could be explained by community- and state-level factors. The results indicate that dietary diversity has increased in India over time, and that dietary diversity at the state level is significantly associated with the nutritional status of children. Moreover, percentage of households with a regular salaried income in a state, percentage of educated mothers and mothers receiving antenatal care in a community are important factors for improving the nutritional status of children. Diversity in complementary child feeding is another significant determinant of nutritional status of children. The study thus concludes that increasing dietary diversity at the state level is an effective measure to reduce childhood malnutrition in India.

Prevalence of malnutrition in a cohort of 509 patients with acute hip fracture: the importance of a comprehensive assessment.

Backgrounds/objectives:Malnutrition is very common in acute hip fracture (HF) patients. Studies differ widely in their findings, with reported prevalences between 31 and 88% mainly because of small sample sizes and the use of different criteria. The aim of this study was to learn the prevalence of malnutrition in a large cohort of HF patients in an comprehensive way that includes the frequency of protein-energy malnutrition, vitamin D deficiency and sarcopenia. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A 1-year consecutive sample of patients admitted with fragility HF in a 1300-bed public University Hospital, who were assessed within the first 72 h of admission. Clinical, functional, cognitive and laboratory variables were included. Energy malnutrition (body mass index (BMI) <22 kg/m2), protein malnutrition (serum total protein <6.5 g/dl or albumin <3.5 g/dl), vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-OH-vitamin D <30 ng/dl) and sarcopenia (low muscle mass plus low grip strength) were considered. RESULTS: Five hundred nine HF patients were included. The mean age was 85.6±6.9 years and 79.2% were women. Ninety-nine (20.1%) patients had a BMI <22 kg/m2. Four hundred nine patients (81.2%) had protein malnutrition. Eighty-seven (17.1%) patients had both energy and protein malnutrition. Serum vitamin D was <30 ng/ml in 466 (93%) patients. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 17.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Protein malnutrition and vitamin D deficiency are the rule in acute HF patients. Energy malnutrition and sarcopenia are also common. A nutritional assessment in these patients should include these aspects together.

Identifying in-patient costs attributable to the clinical sequelae and comorbidities of alcoholic liver disease in a national hospital database.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The clinical sequelae and comorbidities of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) often require hospitalization. The aims of this study were to (1) compare the average costs of hospitalizations with ALD and the costs of hospitalizations with other alcohol-related diagnoses that do not involve the liver; and (2) estimate the percentage of the difference in costs between the ALD and non-ALD hospitalizations that may be attributed to ascites, protein-calorie malnutrition and other conditions. DESIGN: The 2012 National Inpatient Sample is a population-based cross-sectional database representing more than 94% of all discharges from community hospitals in the United States. SETTING: Community hospitals in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: The sample included 72 531 hospitalizations with ALD and 287 047 hospitalizations with other alcohol-related diagnoses. MEASUREMENTS: The dependent variable was total in-patient costs. We estimated the contribution of ascites, protein-calorie malnutrition and other conditions to the difference in costs between patients with ALD and patients with other diagnoses. FINDINGS: Average costs for ALD patients were $3188.4 higher than those for patients with other diagnoses ($13 543 versus $10 355; P < 0.001). Among all conditions in the analysis, protein-calorie malnutrition had the largest impact on costs [$6501; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 5956, 7045; P < 0.001] accounting for 12% of the higher costs of ALD stays. CONCLUSIONS: Costs of hospital care for patients with alcoholic liver disease are higher than those for patients with other alcohol-related diagnoses. These increased costs are associated with specific clinical sequelae and comorbidities, with protein-calorie malnutrition-a largely preventable condition-making a substantial contribution.

Subjective global assessment for nutritional assessment of hospitalized patients requiring haemodialysis: A prospective cohort study.

AIM: Evidence has validated that the nutritional status of hospitalized patients on haemodialysis could be compromised because of admission-related and hospital-associated morbidities on the background of their kidney disease. However, nutritional status is not assessed and monitored routinely during the hospitalization period. The aim of the present study was to assess the nutritional status of hospitalized patients requiring haemodialysis with the subjective global assessment (SGA) tool during the hospitalization period. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study conducted in an acute tertiary general hospital. Patients aged 21-75 years old, admitted for various illnesses and requiring haemodialysis between November 2011 and May 2012 were enrolled into this study. A trained dietician assessed patients' nutritional status with the SGA tool, which included historical data on weight change, dietary intake, gastrointestinal symptoms, functional capacity, comorbidities and physical examination on subcutaneous fat loss, muscle wasting and presence of oedema and/or ascites. Patients were categorized under three groups: SGA-A (well-nourished), SGA-B (moderately malnourished) and SGA-C (severely malnourished). RESULTS: Eighty patients (mean ± SD age = 59 ± 10 years; 76% Chinese ethnicity) were assessed. Mean ± SD body mass index (BMI) was 25.1 ± 6.1 kg/m2 . SGA categories were 48% SGA-A, 46% SGA-B, and 6% SGA-C. Mean energy and protein intake (P < 0.001), length of hospitalization stay (P = 0.03) and BMI (P = 0.001) were significantly different across the three categories of nutritional status. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the hospitalized patients requiring haemodialysis were malnourished. It is important to incorporate SGA in the care of hospitalized haemodialysis patients for early detection of malnutrition and for medical nutrition therapy to optimise patients' nutritional status for better outcomes.

Household Food Expenditure Patterns, Food Nutrient Consumption and Nutritional Vulnerability in Nigeria: Implications for Policy.

The study examined the patterns of food spending, food nutrient consumption, and nutrient deficiency profiles of households in Nigeria using a cross-sectional nationwide household survey data. Food nutrients were estimated from food expenditure data while the nutrient deficiency profiles were assessed adapting Foster et al. (1984) poverty index. The study established widespread nutritional deficiencies with low-income household cohorts bearing a greater burden of the deficiencies. Protein-protein deficiency appears to be much more prevalent in urban than rural areas. However, the deficiency of micro-nutrients seems to diffuse across urban-rural divides of the country with deficiency of calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin C appearing to be more pronounced in rural areas while phosphorous, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and vitamin B3 deficiencies seem to be higher in urban settings. Pro-poor income growth strategies and sensitively guided urban-rural food and nutrition interventions are advocated for improved food consumption and nutritional deficiency reduction.

Comparison of Nutrition Profile and Diet Record Between Veteran and Nonveteran End-Stage Renal Disease Patients Receiving Hemodialysis in Veterans Affairs and Community Clinics in Metropolitan South-Central Texas.

BACKGROUND: U.S. military veterans have high rates of chronic disease and social disadvantage, which are risk factors for protein-energy wasting (PEW). It is not known whether this translates into high prevalence of PEW in veterans with end-stage renal disease. METHODS: We compared the clinical, socioeconomic, and nutrition status and the diet of 33 veteran and 38 nonveteran clinically stable patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) in south-central Texas. RESULTS: The whole cohort included 82% Mexican Americans (MAs), 72% type 2 diabetics, and 73% males. The body mass index was 28.9 ± 6.2, while energy intake was 21.5 ± 8.2 kcal/kg/d and protein intake was 1.0 ± 0.4 g/kg/d. Serum albumin (bromocresol purple) was 3.5 ± 0.4 g/dL, transferrin was 171.9 ± 27.8 mg/d, C-reactive protein was 2.9 (1.4-6.5) mg/L, interleukin-6 (IL-6) was 8.3 (4.2-17.9) pg/mL, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin was 729 (552-1256) ng/mL, and the malnutrition-inflammation score was 8.8 ± 3.0. In group comparison that adjusted for sex and ethnicity, the veterans had better household income, less MAs (60% vs 100%), more males (94% vs 55%), more use of a renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade (66% vs 33%), and lower IL-6 levels (4.4 [3.1-5.8] vs 15.4 [8.3-20.5] pg/mL; P = .01) than nonveterans. In regression analysis, the lower serum IL-6 level in veterans was independently explained by dialysis clinic, sex, and, possibly, household income (intermediate significance). CONCLUSION: In a relatively small cohort of clinically stable MHD patients, the veterans showed equivalent nutrition status and dietary intake and less inflammation than the nonveterans, thus not supporting the possibility that veteran MHD patients may have worse nutrition than the nonveteran counterpart.

Public Health & Nutrition in the Asia-Pacific: reflections on a quarter century.

Some reflections from work in the Asia Pacific Region, mostly with WHO, in the past 25 years, and the changes in nutrition seen in this time are shared. In 1988-89 I helped to start a Centre for Child Nutrition in Chengdu, Sichuan, through the Italian Development Cooperation. The nutritional problems in urban and rural China, 25 years ago, were similar to those elsewhere in the Region. Like China, these countries underwent rapid economic development and changes in health patterns, within two decades. The main problems for child nutrition had to do with infant feeding practices and less breastfeeding: anaemia, protein energy malnutrition and rickets were frequent. How did China and other countries tackle these and other nutrition problems? In the 1990s the global nutrition community started working on a problem-solving framework. In 1992, at the 1st FAO/WHO International Conference on Nutrition, 159 countries agreed to develop national nutrition plans. In 2014, 22 years later, FAO and WHO invited countries to review their national nutrition situation and plans. The epidemiological picture today is profoundly different. Many Asia-Pacific countries have achieved remarkable progress in socio-economic development, including malnutrition reduction. To reach the MDGs and the post-MDG goals being formulated, the remaining under-nutrition problems need to be alleviated, inequalities between sectors of society reduced, and also the growing threat of overweight/obesity and NCDs prevented and controlled. Assessing, monitoring and evaluating programmes to improve progress, now requires focusing not only on biological outcomes, but also on food security, programme process, and the policy environment.

Subjective global assessment for the diagnosis of protein-energy wasting in nondialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease patients.

OBJECTIVES: Subjective global assessment (SGA) has been demonstrated to be a reliable method for protein-energy wasting (PEW) evaluation in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on dialysis. Few data are available on PEW evaluation in nondialysis stages of CKD, and the validity of SGA has been scarcely investigated in this population. Herein, we aimed to evaluate in nondialysis-dependent CKD patients (NDD-CKD): (1) the prevalence of PEW by SGA; (2) the most common abnormalities of the SGA components; and (3) the agreement of SGA with the traditional anthropometric parameters. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study including 922 NDD-CKD patients referred to the renal dietitians in the period of 2001 to 2012. Nutritional status was assessed by 7-point SGA. Body mass index (BMI), midarm circumference, midarm muscle circumference, and triceps skinfold thickness were available from 494 patients. RESULTS: From the 922 patients, 58.6% were men, mean age was 63.8 ± 13.6 years, BMI was 27.7 ± 5.3 kg/m(2). The majority of the patients were in CKD Stages 3 (48.9%) or 4 (40.3%). PEW (SGA ≤5) was present in 11% of the patients and 32% had signs of PEW (SGA 6). In the logistic regression analysis, the presence of comorbidities and worse renal function were independently associated with PEW. Among the SGA components, the most frequent abnormality in patients with PEW was muscle and fat wasting (88.6%). BMI, midarm circumference, midarm muscle circumference, and triceps skinfold thickness were lower across the worse SGA scores, and a moderate to good level of agreement was found between the anthropometric parameters and presence of PEW evaluated by SGA. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of PEW was 11% in our unselected cohort of NDD-CKD patients. The physical examination component (muscle/fat wasting) was the most frequent alteration found in those patients. When compared with anthropometric parameters, 7-point SGA has shown to be a valid tool to assess PEW in NDD-CKD population.

Physical activity as a clinical tool in the assessment of malnutrition.

OBJECTIVE: To measure physical activity in children with wasting and to look for association between poor physical activity and wasting. METHODS: Physical activity was measured in 56 children with wasting, using Childrens Activity Rating Scale, and compared with age- and sex-matched controls. RESULTS: A significant association was found between poor physical activity and malnutrition as determined by weight-for-height Z Score <-2 (P=0.001) and mid-upper-arm circumference (P=0.002). MAIN CONCLUSION: Physical activity can be used as clinical parameter to assess malnutrition.