Nutritional treatment of children 6-59 months with severely low weight-for-age z-score: a study protocol for a 3-arm randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Admission criteria that treat children with low mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC), and low weight-for-height z-score (WHZ) are not aligned with the evidence on which children are at risk of mortality. An analysis of community-based cohort data from Senegal found that a combination of weight-for-age (WAZ) and MUAC criteria identified all children at risk of near-term death associated with severe anthropometric deficits. This study will address whether children with WAZ <-3 but MUAC ≥125 mm benefit from therapeutic feeding with ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF) and whether a simplified protocol is non-inferior to the weight-based standard protocol. METHODS: This is a prospective individually randomized controlled 3-arm trial conducted in the Nara health district in Mali. Children aged 6-59 months presenting with MUAC ≥125 mm and WAZ <-3 will be randomized to (1) control group receiving no treatment, (2) simplified treatment receiving 1 sachet of RUTF daily until WAZ ≥-3 for 2 visits, (3) standard treatment receiving RUTF according to WHZ category: (a) WHZ <-3 receive 200 kcal/kg/day until WHZ ≥-2 for 2 visits, (b) WHZ ≥-3 but <-2 receive 1 sachet daily until WHZ ≥-2 for 2 visits or (c) WHZ ≥-2 receive no treatment. All children will be followed up first fortnightly for 12 weeks and then monthly until 6 months post-enrolment. The primary endpoint will be measured at 2 months with the primary outcome being WAZ as a continuous measure. Other outcomes include other anthropometric measurements and a secondary endpoint will be observed at 6 months. A total of 1397 children will be recruited including 209 in the control and 594 in both the simplified and standard arms. The sample size should enable us to conclude on the superiority of the simplified treatment compared to no treatment and on the non-inferiority of the simplified treatment versus standard treatment with a margin of non-inferiority of 0.2 WAZ. DISCUSSION: This trial aims to generate new evidence on the benefit of treating children with WAZ <-3 but MUAC ≥125 mm in order to guide the choice of admission criteria to malnutrition treatment and build evidence on the most efficient treatment protocol. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05248516 on February 21, 2022.

How age and sex affect treatment outcomes for children with severe malnutrition: A multi-country secondary data analysis.

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 6929 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.

Anthropometric criteria for best-identifying children at high risk of mortality: a pooled analysis of twelve cohorts.

OBJECTIVE: To understand which anthropometric diagnostic criteria best discriminate higher from lower risk of death in children and explore programme implications. DESIGN: A multiple cohort individual data meta-analysis of mortality risk (within 6 months of measurement) by anthropometric case definitions. Sensitivity, specificity, informedness and inclusivity in predicting mortality, face validity and compatibility with current standards and practice were assessed and operational consequences were modelled. SETTING: Community-based cohort studies in twelve low-income countries between 1977 and 2013 in settings where treatment of wasting was not widespread. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged 6 to 59 months. RESULTS: Of the twelve anthropometric case definitions examined, four (weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ) <-2), (mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) <125 mm), (MUAC < 115 mm or WAZ < -3) and (WAZ < -3) had the highest informedness in predicting mortality. A combined case definition (MUAC < 115 mm or WAZ < -3) was better at predicting deaths associated with weight-for-height Z-score <-3 and concurrent wasting and stunting (WaSt) than the single WAZ < -3 case definition. After the assessment of all criteria, the combined case definition performed best. The simulated workload for programmes admitting based on MUAC < 115 mm or WAZ < -3, when adjusted with a proxy for required intensity and/or duration of treatment, was 1·87 times larger than programmes admitting on MUAC < 115 mm alone. CONCLUSIONS: A combined case definition detects nearly all deaths associated with severe anthropometric deficits suggesting that therapeutic feeding programmes may achieve higher impact (prevent mortality and improve coverage) by using it. There remain operational questions to examine further before wide-scale adoption can be recommended.

Prognostic value of different anthropometric indices over different measurement intervals to predict mortality in 6-59-month-old children.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the prognostic value of mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) and weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ) for predicting death over periods of 1, 3 and 6 months follow-up in children. DESIGN: Pooled analysis of twelve prospective studies examining survival after anthropometric assessment. Sensitivity and false-positive ratios to predict death within 1, 3 and 6 months were compared for three individual anthropometric indices and their combinations. SETTING: Community-based, prospective studies from twelve countries in Africa and Asia. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged 6-59 months living in the study areas. RESULTS: For all anthropometric indices, the receiver operating characteristic curves were higher for shorter than for longer durations of follow-up. Sensitivity was higher for death with 1-month follow-up compared with 6 months by 49 % (95 % CI (30, 69)) for MUAC < 115 mm (P < 0·001), 48 % (95 % CI (9·4, 87)) for WHZ < -3 (P < 0·01) and 28 % (95 % CI (7·6, 42)) for WAZ < -3 (P < 0·005). This was accompanied by an increase in false positives of only 3 % or less. For all durations of follow-up, WAZ < -3 identified more children who died and were not identified by WHZ < -3 or by MUAC < 115 mm, 120 mm or 125 mm, but the use of WAZ < -3 led to an increased false-positive ratio up to 16·4 % (95 % CI (12·0, 20·9)) compared with 3·5 % (95 % CI (0·4, 6·5)) for MUAC < 115 mm alone. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent anthropometric measurements significantly improve the identification of malnourished children with a high risk of death without markedly increasing false positives. Combining two indices increases sensitivity but also increases false positives among children meeting case definitions.

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.

How do children with severe underweight and wasting respond to treatment? A pooled secondary data analysis to inform future intervention studies.

Children with weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) <-3 have a high risk of death, yet this indicator is not widely used in nutrition treatment programming. This pooled secondary data analysis of children aged 6-59 months aimed to examine the prevalence, treatment outcomes, and growth trajectories of children with WAZ <-3 versus children with WAZ ≥-3 receiving outpatient treatment for wasting and/or nutritional oedema, to inform future protocols. Binary treatment outcomes between WAZ <-3 and WAZ ≥-3 admissions were compared using logistic regression. Recovery was defined as attaining mid-upper-arm circumference ≥12.5 cm and weight-for-height z-score ≥-2, without oedema, within a period of 17 weeks of admission. Data from 24,829 children from 9 countries drawn from 13 datasets were included. 55% of wasted children had WAZ <-3. Children admitted with WAZ <-3 compared to those with WAZ ≥-3 had lower recovery rates (28.3% vs. 48.7%), higher risk of death (1.8% vs. 0.7%), and higher risk of transfer to inpatient care (6.2% vs. 3.8%). Growth trajectories showed that children with WAZ <-3 had markedly lower anthropometry at the start and end of care, however, their patterns of anthropometric gains were very similar to those with WAZ ≥-3. If moderately wasted children with WAZ <-3 were treated in therapeutic programmes alongside severely wasted children, we estimate caseloads would increase by 32%. Our findings suggest that wasted children with WAZ <-3 are an especially vulnerable group and those with moderate wasting and WAZ <-3 likely require a higher intensity of nutritional support than is currently recommended. Longer or improved treatment may be necessary, and the timeline and definition of recovery likely need review.

Anthropometric deficits and the associated risk of death by age and sex in children aged 6-59 months: A meta-analysis.

Risk of death from undernutrition is thought to be higher in younger than in older children, but evidence is mixed. Research also demonstrates sex differences whereby boys have a higher prevalence of undernutrition than girls. This analysis described mortality risk associated with anthropometric deficits (wasting, underweight and stunting) in children 6-59 months by age and sex. We categorised children into younger (6-23 months) and older (24-59 months) age groups. Age and sex variations in near-term (within 6 months) mortality risk, associated with individual anthropometric deficits were assessed in a secondary analysis of multi-country cohort data. A random effects meta-analysis was performed. Data from seven low-or-middle-income-countries collected between 1977 and 2013 were analysed. One thousand twenty deaths were recorded for children with anthropometric deficits. Pooled meta-analysis estimates showed no differences by age in absolute mortality risk for wasting (RR 1.08, p = 0.826 for MUAC < 125 mm; RR 1.35, p = 0.272 for WHZ < -2). For underweight and stunting, absolute risk of death was higher in younger (RR 2.57, p < 0.001) compared with older children (RR 2.83, p < 0.001). For all deficits, there were no differences in mortality risk for girls compared with boys. There were no differences in the risk of mortality between younger and older wasted children, supporting continued inclusion of all children under-five in wasting treatment programmes. The risk of mortality associated with underweight and stunting was higher among younger children, suggesting that prevention programmes might be justified in focusing on younger children where resources are limited. There were no sex differences by age in mortality risk for all deficits.

Understanding Sex Differences in Childhood Undernutrition: A Narrative Review.

Complementing a recent systematic review and meta-analysis which showed that boys are more likely to be wasted, stunted, and underweight than girls, we conducted a narrative review to explore which early life mechanisms might underlie these sex differences. We addressed different themes, including maternal and newborn characteristics, immunology and endocrinology, evolutionary biology, care practices, and anthropometric indices to explore potential sources of sex differences in child undernutrition. Our review found that the evidence on why sex differences occur is limited but that a complex interaction of social, environmental, and genetic factors likely underlies these differences throughout the life cycle. Despite their bigger size at birth and during infancy, in conditions of food deprivation, boys experience more undernutrition from as early as the foetal period. Differences appear to be more pronounced in more severe presentations of undernutrition and in more socioeconomically deprived contexts. Boys are more vulnerable to infectious disease, and differing immune and endocrine systems appear to explain some of this disadvantage. Limited evidence also suggests that different sociological factors and care practices might exert influence and have the potential to exacerbate or reverse observed differences. Further research is needed to better understand sex differences in undernutrition and the implications of these for child outcomes and prevention and treatment programming.

Concurrent wasting and stunting among children 6-59 months: an analysis using district-level survey data in Mozambique.

BACKGROUND: In the past it was believed that wasting and stunting were independent of each other. Recent work has shown that they can occur concurrently in a child and that increases considerably the risk of mortality. Concurrent wasting and stunting (WaSt) is currently defined as WHZ < -2 AND HAZ < -2. Wasting is measured by WHZ and MUAC and evidence shows that they tend to identify different sets of children. Our study aimed to look at the effect of adding MUAC on the prevalence and burden of WaSt, and to assess diagnosis of WaSt with a single measurement. METHODS: We analyzed population-based anthropometric surveys from 37 districts in Mozambique conducted by the Government of Mozambique between 2017 and 2019. We proposed a new case-definition for WaSt that includes MUAC in acknowledgement of the different children with wasting diagnosed by WHZ and MUAC. We estimated how many WaSt cases are eligible to be included in the existing treatment program in Mozambique by calculating the True Positive and False Positive Values of WaSt using our proposed case-definition against the wasting admission criteria. AUC of ROC curves used for MUAC and WAZ and optimal cut-offs were determined using Youden's Index. RESULTS: Including MUAC in the concurrent WaSt case-definition identified more children with WaSt compared to the original case-definition and more younger children and girls were identified. Using both MUAC and WHZ and enrolling severe and moderate wasting is already picking up most of the WaSt cases: 100% in health facilities and 79.40% with MUAC mass screenings at community level. Cut-off values from the ROC curve for the proposed case-definition were MUAC ≤133 mm and WAZ ≤ 2.145 Z-scores, however, they  yielded many false positive values. CONCLUSION: WaSt case-definition should include MUAC. WaSt should commence to be reported in surveys and Mozambique should also start monitoring and treating children with WaSt. A cost-effective approach to identify all children with WaSt without adding too many false positive is needed, as well as understanding how to achieve optimal treatment outcomes within existing programs.

Changing sex differences in undernutrition of African children: findings from Demographic and Health Surveys.

The study investigates sex differences in the prevalence of undernutrition in sub-Saharan Africa. Undernutrition was defined by Z-scores using the CDC-2000 growth charts. Some 128 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) were analysed, totalling 700,114 children under-five. The results revealed a higher susceptibility of boys to undernutrition. Male-to-female ratios of prevalence averaged 1.18 for stunting (height-for-age Z-score <-2.0); 1.01 for wasting (weight-for-height Z-score <-2.0); 1.05 for underweight (weight-for-age Z-score <-2.0); and 1.29 for concurrent wasting and stunting (weight-for-height and height-for-age Z-scores <-2.0). Sex ratios of prevalence varied with age for stunting and concurrent wasting and stunting, with higher values for children age 0-23 months and lower values for children age 24-59 months. Sex ratios of prevalence tended to increase with declining level of mortality for stunting, underweight and concurrent wasting and stunting, but remained stable for wasting. Comparisons were made with other anthropometric reference sets (NCHS-1977 and WHO-), and the results were found to differ somewhat from those obtained with CDC-2000. Possible rationales for these patterns are discussed.

Mid-Upper Arm Circumference Tapes and Measurement Discrepancies: Time to Standardize Product Specifications and Reporting.

In recent years, community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) has revolutionized the care for children by increasing treatment coverage. Critical to the success of CMAM is early case identification. Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) measurement is a widely used, practical anthropometric measure used at the community level for the identification and admission of cases to appropriate treatment services. Globally, many organizations and government services use MUAC tapes for early case detection. However, there is no one universal MUAC tape specification, and it has been observed that using different MUAC tapes results in different measurements. In this article, we aim to: (1) present the measurement discrepancies; (2) discuss design specifications and their effect on case identification and admissions; (3) present a call to action to agree on common design specifications and standardized reporting. We hope this article will catalyze discussion and practical actions among nutrition and health stakeholders to ensure we have common MUAC tape design specifications so that all eligible at-risk children will get an equal chance to be identified early for critical treatment.

Effects on child growth of a reduction in the general food distribution ration and provision of small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements in refugee camps in eastern Chad.

BACKGROUND: We used the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Standardised Expanded Nutrition Survey data to evaluate the effect of a change in food ration on child growth in refugee camps in eastern Chad. METHODS: We compared trends of wasting and stunting prevalence over time and the association between the coexistence of being both stunted and wasted using Pearson's χ2 test. We analysed the effect of an approximate 50% reduction in the general food distribution, with the introduction of a 20 g daily ration of small quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements given to all children aged 6-23 months, on child growth. This was done using interrupted time-series analysis to observe differences in levels and trends in mean height-for-age z-score (HAZ) and weight-for-height z-score (WHZ) over time and by age group (6-24 months and 24-59 months). RESULTS: Overall the prevalence of stunting and wasting decreased significantly over time. The odds of being both stunted and wasted was 1.38 higher than having one or the other condition separately (p<0.001, 95% CI=1.29 to 1.47). Trends in mean HAZ and WHZ before and after a ration change in 2014 indicate that growth had either slowed down or worsened. In the period following the ration change, children 24-59 months saw a significant decrease in mean HAZ of 0.04 per year (p=0.02, 95% CI=-0.07 to -0.01) and for the younger age group, there was a significant decrease in mean WHZ of 0.06 per year (p=0.03, 95% CI=-0.12 to -0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The dual burden of stunting and wasting is a considerable challenge in refugee camp settings. Changes to the food distribution had adverse effects on child growth for both age groups. Broadening the scope of interventions aimed at children in camps is essential when tackling malnutrition with increased efforts essential during periods of wider food assistance shortages.

Response to Malnutrition Treatment in Low Weight-for-Age Children: Secondary Analyses of Children 6-59 Months in the ComPAS Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

Weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) is not currently an admission criterion to therapeutic feeding programs, and children with low WAZ at high risk of mortality may not be admitted. We conducted a secondary analysis of RCT data to assess response to treatment according to WAZ and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and type of feeding protocol given: a simplified, combined protocol for severe and moderate acute malnutrition (SAM and MAM) vs. standard care that treats SAM and MAM, separately. Children with a moderately low MUAC (11.5-12.5 cm) and a severely low WAZ (<-3) respond similarly to treatment in terms of both weight and MUAC gain on either 2092 kJ (500 kcal)/day of therapeutic or supplementary food. Children with a severely low MUAC (<11.5 cm), with/without a severely low WAZ (<-3), have similar recovery with the combined protocol or standard treatment, though WAZ gain may be slower in the combined protocol. A limitation is this analysis was not powered for these sub-groups specifically. Adding WAZ < -3 as an admission criterion for therapeutic feeding programs admitting children with MUAC and/or oedema may help programs target high-risk children who can benefit from treatment. Future work should evaluate the optimal treatment protocol for children with a MUAC < 11.5 and/or WAZ < -3.0.

Improving estimates of the burden of severe wasting: analysis of secondary prevalence and incidence data from 352 sites.

INTRODUCTION: Estimates of incident cases of severe wasting among young children are not available for most settings but are needed for optimal planning of treatment programmes and burden estimation. To improve programme planning, global guidance recommends a single 'incidence correction factor' of 1.6 be applied to available prevalence estimates to account for incident cases. This study aimed to update estimates of the incidence correction factor to improve programme planning and inform the approach to burden estimation for severe wasting. METHODS: A global call was issued for secondary data from severe wasting treatment programmes including prevalence, population size, programme admission and programme coverage through a UNICEF-led effort. Site-specific incidence correction factors were calculated as the number of incident cases (annual programme admissions/programme coverage) divided by the number of prevalent cases (prevalence*population size). Estimates were aggregated by country, region and overall using inverse-variance weighted random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: We estimated incidence correction factors from 352 sites in 20 countries. Estimates aggregated by country ranged from 1.3 (Nigeria) to 30.1 (Burundi). Excluding implausible values, the overall incidence correction factor was 3.6 (95% CI 3.4 to 3.9). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that incidence correction factors vary between sites and that the burden of severe wasting will often be underestimated using the currently recommended incidence correction factor of 1.6. Application of updated incidence correction factors represents a simple way to improve programme planning when incidence data are not available and could inform the approach to burden estimation.

Factors associated with concurrent wasting and stunting among children 6-59 months in Karamoja, Uganda.

Children with concurrent wasting and stunting (WaSt) and children with severe wasting have a similar risk of death. Existing evidence shows that wasting and stunting share similar causal pathways, but evidence on correlates of WaSt remains limited. Research on correlates of WaSt is needed to inform prevention strategies. We investigated the factors associated with WaSt in children 6-59 months in Karamoja Region, Uganda. We examined data for 33,054 children aged 6-59 months using June 2015 to July 2018 Food Security and Nutrition Assessment in Karamoja. We defined WaSt as being concurrently wasted (weight-for-height z-scores <-2.0) and stunted (height-for-age z-score <-2.0). We conducted multivariate mixed-effect logistic regression to assess factors associated with WaSt. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. In multivariate analysis, being male (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.79; 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.60-2.00]), aged 12-23 months (aOR = 2.25; 95% CI [1.85-2.74]), 36-47 months (aOR = 0.65; 95% CI [0.50-0.84]) and 48-59 months (aOR = 0.71; 95% CI [0.54-0.93]) were associated with WaSt. In addition, acute respiratory infection (aOR = 1.30; 95% CI [1.15-1.48]), diarrhoea (aOR = 1.25; 95% CI [1.06-1.48]) and malaria/fever (aOR = 0.83; 95% CI [0.73-0.96]) episodes were associated with WaSt. WaSt was significantly associated with maternal underweight (body mass index <18.5 kg/m2 ), short stature (height <160 cm), low mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC <23 cm) and having ≥4 live-births. WaSt was prevalent in households without livestock (aOR = 1.30; 95% CI [1.13-1.59]). Preventing the occurrence of WaSt through pragmatic and joint approaches are recommended. Future prospective studies on risk factors of WaSt to inform effective prevention strategies are recommended.

Boys are more likely to be undernourished than girls: a systematic review and meta-analysis of sex differences in undernutrition.

BACKGROUND: Excess male morbidity and mortality is well recognised in neonatal medicine and infant health. In contrast, within global nutrition, it is commonly assumed that girls are more at risk of experiencing undernutrition. We aimed to explore evidence for any male/female differences in child undernutrition using anthropometric case definitions and the reasons for differences observed. METHODS: We searched: Medline, Embase, Global health, Popline and Cochrane databases with no time limits applied. Eligible studies focused on children aged 0-59 months affected by undernutrition where sex was reported. In the meta-analysis, undernutrition-specific estimates were examined separately for wasting, stunting and underweight using a random-effects model. RESULTS: 74 studies were identified: 44/74 studies were included in the meta-analysis. In 20 which examined wasting, boys had higher odds of being wasted than girls (pooled OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.40). 38 examined stunting: boys had higher odds of stunting than girls (pooled OR 1.29 95% CI 1.22 to 1.37). 23 explored underweight: boys had higher odds of being underweight than girls (pooled OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.26). There was some limited evidence that the female advantage, indicated by a lower risk of stunting and underweight, was weaker in South Asia than other parts of the world. 43/74 (58%) studies discussed possible reasons for boy/girl differences; 10/74 (14%) cited studies with similar findings with no further discussion; 21/74 (28%) had no sex difference discussion. 6/43 studies (14%) postulated biological causes, 21/43 (49%) social causes and 16/43 (37%) to a combination. CONCLUSION: Our review indicates that undernutrition in children under 5 is more likely to affect boys than girls, though the magnitude of these differences varies and is more pronounced in some contexts than others. Future research should further explore reasons for these differences and implications for nutrition policy and practice.

Concurrently wasted and stunted children 6-59 months in Karamoja, Uganda: prevalence and case detection.

We assessed prevalence of concurrently wasted and stunted (WaSt) and explored the overlaps between wasted, stunted, underweight and low mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) among children aged 6-59 months in Karamoja, Uganda. We also determined optimal weight-for-age (WAZ) and MUAC thresholds for detecting WaSt. We conducted secondary data analysis with 2015-2018 Food Security and Nutrition Assessment (FSNA) cross-sectional survey datasets from Karamoja. Wasting, stunting and underweight were defined as <-2.0 z-scores using WHO growth standards. Low MUAC was defined as <12.5 cm. We defined WaSt as concurrent wasting and stunting. Prevalence of WaSt was 4.96% (95% CI [4.64, 5.29]). WaSt was more prevalent in lean than harvest season (5.21% vs. 4.53%; p = .018). About half (53.92%) of WaSt children had low MUAC, and all were underweight. Younger children aged <36 months had more WaSt, particularly males. Males with WaSt had higher median MUAC than females (12.50 vs. 12.10 cm; p < .001). A WAZ <-2.60 threshold detected WaSt with excellent sensitivity (99.02%) and high specificity (90.71%). MUAC threshold <13.20 cm had good sensitivity (81.58%) and moderate specificity (76.15%) to detect WaSt. WaSt prevalence of 5% is a public health concern, given its high mortality risk. All children with WaSt were underweight and half had low MUAC. WAZ and MUAC could be useful tools for detecting WaSt. Prevalence monitoring and prospective studies on WAZ and MUAC cut-offs for WaSt detection are recommended. Future consideration to integrate WAZ into therapeutic feeding programmes is recommended to detect and treat WaSt children.

Concurrently wasted and stunted 6-59 months children admitted to the outpatient therapeutic feeding programme in Karamoja, Uganda: Prevalence, characteristics, treatment outcomes and response.

This study assessed the prevalence of concurrently wasted and stunted (WaSt) children, their characteristics, treatment outcomes and response; and factors associated with time to recovery among children aged 6-59 months admitted to Outpatient Therapeutic Care (OTC) in Karamoja, Uganda. We conducted a retrospective cohort study with data from January 2016 to October 2017 for children admitted to nine OTCs in Karamoja. We defined wasted, stunted and underweight as 2.0 Z-scores below the median per WHO growth standards and < 12.5 cm for low Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC). WaSt was defined as concurrently wasted and stunted. Out of 788 eligible children included in the analysis; 48.7% (95% CI; 45.2-52.2) had WaSt. WaSt was common among males; 56.3% (95% CI; 51.3-61.3). Median age was 18 months in WaSt versus 12 months in non-WaSt children (p < 0.001). All WaSt children were underweight; and more severely wasted than non-WaSt children. During recovery, WaSt children gained weight more rapidly than non-WaSt children (2.2g/kg/day vs. 1.7g/kg/day). WaSt children had lower recovery rate (58.0% vs. 65.4%; p = 0.037). The difference in median time of recovery between WaSt and non-WaSt children (63 days vs. 56 days; p = 0.465) was not significant. Factors associated with time to recovery were children aged 24-59 months (aHR = 1.30; 95% CI;1.07-1.57;), children with MUAC 10.5-11.4 cm (aHR = 2.03; 95% CI; 1.55-2.66), MUAC ≥ 11.5 cm at admission (aHR = 3.31; 95% CI; 2.17-5.02) and living in Moroto (aHR = 3.34; 95% CI; 2.60-4.30) and Nakapiripirit (aHR = 1.95; 95% CI; 1.51-2.53) districts. The magnitude of children with WaSt in OTC shows that existing therapeutic feeding protocols could be used to detect and treat WaSt children. Further research is needed to identify and address the factors associated with sub-optimal recovery in WaSt children for effective OTC programming in Karamoja.

Correction to: Mothers screening for malnutrition by mid-upper arm circumference is non-inferior to community health workers: results from a large-scale pragmatic trial in rural Niger.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13690-016-0149-5.].

Prevention of child wasting: Results of a Child Health & Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) prioritisation exercise.

BACKGROUND: An estimated 49.5 million children under five years of age are wasted. There is a lack of robust studies on effective interventions to prevent wasting. The aim of this study was to identify and prioritise the main outstanding research questions in relation to wasting prevention to inform future research agendas. METHOD: A research prioritisation exercise was conducted following the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative method. Identified research gaps were compiled from multiple sources, categorised into themes and streamlined into forty research questions by an expert group. A survey was then widely circulated to assess research questions according to four criteria. An overall research priority score was calculated to rank questions. FINDINGS: The prioritised questions have a strong focus on interventions. The importance of the early stages of life in determining later experiences of wasting was highlighted. Other important themes included the identification of at-risk infants and young children early in the progression of wasting and the roles of existing interventions and the health system in prevention. DISCUSSION: These results indicate consensus to support more research on the pathways to wasting encompassing the in-utero environment, on the early period of infancy and on the process of wasting and its early identification. They also reinforce how little is known about impactful interventions for the prevention of wasting. CONCLUSION: This exercise provides a five-year investment case for research that could most effectively improve on-the-ground programmes to prevent child wasting and inform supportive policy change.