The Effects of Yogurt Supplementation and Nutritional Education on Malnourished Infants: A Pilot RCT in Dhaka's Slums.

Our objective was to quantify the effects of yogurt supplementation and nutrition education over three months on the linear growth of infants at risk of stunting. We conducted a three-arm pilot randomized controlled trial: (1) nutrition education for mothers; (2) nutrition education plus a daily yogurt supplement (50 g) for the index child; and (3) usual care (control). Dyads of children aged 4-6 months and at risk of stunting [length-for-age z-score (LAZ) ≤ -1 SD and >-2 SD] and their mothers with ≤10 years of education were eligible for the study. Participants were recruited from five slum areas in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Intention-to-treat (N = 162) and complete-case analyses (N = 127) showed no between-group statistically significant differences in LAZ or weight-for-age (WAZ). However, the yogurt group showed greater change in linear growth compared to the control (LAZ: mean difference 0.20, 95% CI: -0.06, 0.47, p-value 0.13), which was also slightly greater than the education-only group. Children in the yogurt plus group were five times (95% CI: 0.80, 31.80, p-value 0.09) more likely to meet the minimum dietary diversity (MDD) score compared to the control. A 3-month follow-up of this pilot study did not demonstrate that yogurt was beneficial to linear growth. However, there were encouraging trends that merit replication of the intervention with larger samples and longer follow-ups.

Standard RUTF vs. locally-made RUSF for acutely malnourished children: A quasi-experimental comparison of the impact on growth and compliance in a rural community of Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: The reduction in severe and moderate acute malnutrition (SAM and MAM) rates in Pakistan has been sub-optimal compared to other low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Specially-formulated products have been designed globally to manage SAM and MAM, such as ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) and ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF), with variable efficacies. RUTF is primarily produced and patented in industrialized countries, raising supply challenges in resource-constrained regions with a high burden of acute malnutrition. RUSF minimizes costs by using locally-available ingredients while providing similar nutritional value. In this study, we compared the efficacy, side effects, and compliance of two months of supplementation with either RUTF or RUSF. METHODS: Children aged nine months in the rural district of Matiari, Pakistan, with a weight-for-height z-score (WHZ) <-2 received either RUTF (500 kcal sachet) for two months in 2015 or RUSF (520 kcal sachet) for two months in 2018. RESULTS: The RUSF group had a higher height gain and mid-upper arm circumferences (MUAC) score. Higher compliance was noted with lower side effects in the RUSF group. A higher compliance rate did correlate with the growth parameters in respective groups. CONCLUSION: Our study found that both RUTF and RUSF partially improve the anthropometric status of acutely malnourished children, with neither being superior to the other.

Home stimulation, development, and nutritional status of children under 2 years of age in the highlands of Madagascar.

BACKGROUND: The Vakinankaratra region of Madagascar has a high burden of child undernutrition which, in addition to poor psychosocial stimulation, is a strong risk factor of poor child development. However, there are limited studies evaluating the relations between developmental deficits, child nutrition outcomes, and home stimulation in the region. The purpose of this study was to assess the development of children aged 11-13 months in relation to their nutritional status and to examine parental home stimulation attitudes and practices in the Vakinankaratra region. METHODS: Cognitive (n = 36), language (n = 36), motor (n = 36), and socioemotional (n = 76) development were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development III. Household stimulation environment was evaluated using the family care indicators survey. Stunting (length-for-age z-score < - 2) and underweight (weight-for-age z-score < - 2) were determined using the 2006 WHO growth standards. Perceptions of and barriers to greater home stimulation for children were collected using focus group discussions among parents and in-depth interviews with community nutrition agents. RESULTS: Almost all mothers reported that parent-child interaction with talk and play was very important. Alarmingly high stunting rates (> 69%) were observed in this subsample. Limited time and tiredness were the major barriers to home stimulation mentioned by parents and confirmed by key informants. Children had a very limited variety of play materials, and most of the mothers used household objects (75%) and materials from outside the house (71%) as children's toys. Composite cognitive [mean (SD): 60 (10.3)], motor [61.9 (13.4)], language [62 (13.2)], and socioemotional [85.1 (17.9]) scores were low. Fine motor, cognitive, and receptive and expressive language scores were correlated [0.4 < r < 0.7, p < 0.05]. CONCLUSIONS: The very high stunting rates and very low performance on cognitive, motor, language, and socioemotional development assessments of children in the Vakinankaratra region require urgent attention.

Routine antibiotics for infants less than 6 months of age with growth failure/faltering: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review commissioned by WHO aimed to synthesise evidence from current literature on the effects of systematically given, routine use of antibiotics for infants under 6 months of age with growth failure/faltering. SETTINGS: Low-income and middle-income countries. PARTICIPANTS: The study population was infants less than 6 months of age with growth failure/faltering. INTERVENTION: The intervention group was infants who received no antibiotics or antibiotics other than those recommended in 2013 guidelines by WHO to treat childhood severe acute malnutrition. The comparison group was infants who received antibiotics according to the aforementioned guidelines. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES: The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and secondary outcomes: clinical deterioration, antimicrobial resistance, recovery from comorbidity, adverse events, markers of intestinal inflammation, markers of systemic inflammation, hospital-acquired infections and non-response. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach was considered to report the overall evidence quality for an outcome. RESULTS: We screened 5137 titles and abstracts and reviewed the full text of 157 studies. None of the studies from the literature search qualified to answer the question for this systematic review. CONCLUSIONS: There is a paucity of evidence on the routine use of antibiotics for the treatment of malnutrition in infants less than 6 months of age. Future studies with adequate sample sizes are needed to assess the potential risks and benefits of antibiotics in malnourished infants under 6 months of age. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42021277073.

[Factors associated with malnutrition in infants with congenital heart disease within one year after surgery].

Objective: To explore the risk factors of malnutrition in infants with congenital heart disease within one year after surgery. Methods: This retrospective cohort study selected 502 infants with congenital heart disease who underwent surgical treatment in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from February 2018 to January 2019. Their basic information and clinical data were analyzed, and their nutrition status after the surgery was followed up by questionnaire survey. Weight-for-age Z score (WAZ)≤-2 one year after operation was defined as malnutrition group, and WAZ>-2 was non-malnutrition group. The perioperative indicators and complementary food advancement were compared between the two groups by chi-square test, t-test, and Kruskal-Wallis test. The risk factors of malnutrition were analyzed by Logistic regression. Results: A total of 502 infants were selected, including 301 males and 201 females, with the age of 4.1 (2.0, 6.8) months. There were 90 cases in malnutrition group and 412 cases in non-malnutrition group. The body length and weight at birth in the malnutrition group were lower than those in the non-malnutrition group ((47.8±3.8) vs. (49.3±2.5) cm, (2.7±0.6) vs.(3.0±0.5) kg, both P<0.001). The proportion of paternal high school education or above and the proportion of family per capita income of 5 000 yuan or above in the malnutrition group were lower than those in the non-malnutrition group ((18.9% (17/90) vs. 30.8% (127/412), 18.9% (17/90) vs. 33.7% (139/412), both P<0.05). Compared to the non-malnutrition group, the proportion of complex congenital heart disease in the malnutrition group was higher (62.2% (56/90) vs. 47.3% (195/412), P<0.05). The postoperative mechanical ventilation time, postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) stay time, postoperative hospital stay, total length of ICU stay and total hospital stay in the malnutrition group were significantly longer than those in non-malnutrition group (all P<0.05). The proportion of egg and fish supplementation over 2 times/week within one year after the surgery was also lower in the malnutrition group (both P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that mother's weight at delivery (OR=0.95,95%CI 0.91-0.99), the pre-operative WAZ≤-2 (OR=6.04, 95%CI 3.13-11.65), the complexity of the cardiac disease (OR=2.23, 95%CI 1.22-4.06), the hospital stay after the surgery over 14 days (OR=2.61, 95%CI 1.30-5.26), the types of complementary food<4 (OR=2.57, 95%CI 1.39-4.76), and the frequency of meat and fish<2 times/week (OR=2.11, 95%CI 1.13-3.93) were the risk factors associated with malnutrition within one year after the surgery. Conclusion: Mother's weight at delivery pre-operative nutritional status, complexity of cardiac disease, postoperative hospital stay, types of daily supplements and frequency of fish are risk factors associated with malnutrition within one year after surgery in children with congenital heart disease.

Validación del instrumento Infant Malnutrition and Feeding Checklist for Congenital Heart Disease, una herramienta para identificar riesgo de desnutrición y dificultades de alimentación en lactantes con cardiopatías congénitas / Validation of the instrument “Infant Malnutrition and Feeding Checklist for Congenital Heart Disease”, a tool to identify risk of malnutrition and feeding difficulties in infants with congenital heart disease

Introducción: actualmente, se han diseñado diversas herramientas para detectar oportunamente el riesgo de desnutrición en niños hospitalizados. En aquellos con diagnóstico de cardiopatías congénitas (CC), solo existe una herramienta desarrollada en Canadá, llamada Infant Malnutrition and Feeding Checklist for Congenital Heart Disease (IMFC:CHD), la cual fue diseñada en idioma inglés. Objetivo: evaluar la validez y confiabilidad de la adaptación en español de la herramienta IMFC:CHD en lactantes con CC. Métodos: estudio transversal de validación realizado en dos etapas: la primera, de traducción y adaptación transcultural de la herramienta; y la segunda, de validación de la nueva herramienta traducida, donde se obtuvieron las evidencias de confiabilidad y validez. Resultados: en la primera etapa se obtuvo la herramienta traducida y adaptada al idioma español; para la segunda etapa se incluyeron 24 lactantes con diagnóstico de CC. Se evaluó la validez de criterio concurrente entre la herramienta de tamizaje y la evaluación antropométrica, obteniéndose un acuerdo sustancial (κ = 0,660, IC 95 %: 0,36-0,95). Para la validez de criterio predictiva, la cual fue comparada con los días de estancia hospitalaria, se obtuvo un acuerdo moderado (κ = 0,489, IC 95 %: 0,1-0,8). La confiabilidad de la herramienta se evaluó mediante consistencia externa, midiendo la concordancia interobservador, y se obtuvo un acuerdo sustancial (κ = 0,789, IC 95 %: 0,5-0,9); la reproducibilidad de la herramienta mostró un acuerdo casi perfecto (κ = 1, IC 95 %: 0,9-1,0). Conclusiones: la herramienta IMFC:CHD mostró una adecuada validez y confiabilidad, por lo que podría considerarse un recurso útil para la identificación de desnutrición grave. (AU)

Introduction: currently, various tools have been designed to timely detect the risk of malnutrition in hospitalized children. In those with a diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD), there is only one tool developed in Canada: Infant Malnutrition and Feeding Checklist for Congenital Heart Disease (IMFC:CHD), which was designed in English. Objective: to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Spanish adaptation of the IMFC:CHD tool in infants with CHD. Methods: cross-sectional validation study carried out in two stages. The first, of translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the tool, and the second, of validation of the new translated tool, where evidence of reliability and validity were obtained. Results: in the first stage, the tool was translated and adapted to the Spanish language; for the second stage, 24 infants diagnosed with CHD were included. The concurrent criterion validity between the screening tool and the anthropometric evaluation was evaluated, obtaining a substantial agreement (κ = 0.660, 95 % CI: 0.36-0.95) and for the predictive criterion validity, which was compared with the days of hospital stay, moderate agreement was obtained (κ = 0.489, 95 % CI: 0.1-0.8). The reliability of the tool was evaluated through external consistency, measuring theinter-observer agreement, obtaining a substantial agreement (κ = 0.789, 95 % CI: 0.5-0.9), and the reproducibility of the tool showed an almost perfect agreement (κ = 1, CI 95 %: 0.9-1.0). Conclusions: the IMFC:CHD tool showed adequate validity and reliability, and could be considered as a useful resource for the identification of severe malnutrition. (AU)

[Validation of the instrument "Infant Malnutrition and Feeding Checklist for Congenital Heart Disease", a tool to identify risk of malnutrition and feeding difficulties in infants with congenital heart disease]. / Validación del instrumento Infant Malnutrition and Feeding Checklist for Congenital Heart Disease, una herramienta para identificar riesgo de desnutrición y dificultades de alimentación en lactantes con cardiopatías congénitas.

Introduction: Introduction: currently, various tools have been designed to timely detect the risk of malnutrition in hospitalized children. In those with a diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD), there is only one tool developed in Canada: Infant Malnutrition and Feeding Checklist for Congenital Heart Disease (IMFC:CHD), which was designed in English. Objective: to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Spanish adaptation of the IMFC:CHD tool in infants with CHD. Methods: cross-sectional validation study carried out in two stages. The first, of translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the tool, and the second, of validation of the new translated tool, where evidence of reliability and validity were obtained. Results: in the first stage, the tool was translated and adapted to the Spanish language; for the second stage, 24 infants diagnosed with CHD were included. The concurrent criterion validity between the screening tool and the anthropometric evaluation was evaluated, obtaining a substantial agreement (κ = 0.660, 95 % CI: 0.36-0.95) and for the predictive criterion validity, which was compared with the days of hospital stay, moderate agreement was obtained (κ = 0.489, 95 % CI: 0.1-0.8). The reliability of the tool was evaluated through external consistency, measuring the inter-observer agreement, obtaining a substantial agreement (κ = 0.789, 95 % CI: 0.5-0.9), and the reproducibility of the tool showed an almost perfect agreement (κ = 1, CI 95 %: 0.9-1.0). Conclusions: the IMFC:CHD tool showed adequate validity and reliability, and could be considered as a useful resource for the identification of severe malnutrition.

Introducción: Introducción: actualmente, se han diseñado diversas herramientas para detectar oportunamente el riesgo de desnutrición en niños hospitalizados. En aquellos con diagnóstico de cardiopatías congénitas (CC), solo existe una herramienta desarrollada en Canadá, llamada Infant Malnutrition and Feeding Checklist for Congenital Heart Disease (IMFC:CHD), la cual fue diseñada en idioma inglés. Objetivo: evaluar la validez y confiabilidad de la adaptación en español de la herramienta IMFC:CHD en lactantes con CC. Métodos: estudio transversal de validación realizado en dos etapas: la primera, de traducción y adaptación transcultural de la herramienta; y la segunda, de validación de la nueva herramienta traducida, donde se obtuvieron las evidencias de confiabilidad y validez. Resultados: en la primera etapa se obtuvo la herramienta traducida y adaptada al idioma español; para la segunda etapa se incluyeron 24 lactantes con diagnóstico de CC. Se evaluó la validez de criterio concurrente entre la herramienta de tamizaje y la evaluación antropométrica, obteniéndose un acuerdo sustancial (κ = 0,660, IC 95 %: 0,36-0,95). Para la validez de criterio predictiva, la cual fue comparada con los días de estancia hospitalaria, se obtuvo un acuerdo moderado (κ = 0,489, IC 95 %: 0,1-0,8). La confiabilidad de la herramienta se evaluó mediante consistencia externa, midiendo la concordancia interobservador, y se obtuvo un acuerdo sustancial (κ = 0,789, IC 95 %: 0,5-0,9); la reproducibilidad de la herramienta mostró un acuerdo casi perfecto (κ = 1, IC 95 %: 0,9-1,0). Conclusiones: la herramienta IMFC:CHD mostró una adecuada validez y confiabilidad, por lo que podría considerarse un recurso útil para la identificación de desnutrición grave.

Condições de nascimento e fatores gestacionais associados, antes e durante a pandemia da covid-19, no distrito de nampula­ moçambique / Birth conditions and associated gestational factors, before and during the covid-19 pandemic, in the district of Nampula - Mozambique

ALBERTO, Rapieque José, M.Sc., Universidade Federal de Viçosa, março de 2023. Condições de nascimento e fatores gestacionais associados, antes e durante a pandemia da COVID-19, no distrito de Nampula­Moçambique. Orientadora Sílvia Eloiza Priore. Coorientadores: Dayane de Castro Morais, Sylvia do Carmo Castro Franceschini e Amélia Suzana Eduardo Mandane. Introdução: O peso ao nascer é um indicador com repercussão na saúde e sobrevida infantil, podendo aumentar o risco de morbimortalidade no primeiro ano de vida quando este for inferior a 2500 gramas. Durante a pandemia da COVID-19, o setor de saúde viu se obrigado a ajustar o modelo de assistência às gestantes, afetando adversamente a saúde materna e os resultados perinatais, por conta da adoção de medidas restritivas para contenção da propagação do vírus. Portanto, o estudo objetivou avaliar as condições de nascimento e os fatores gestacionais associados antes e durante a pandemia da COVID-19 no distrito de Nampula-Moçambique. Metodologia: trata-se de um estudo transversal retrospetivo, realizado com dados obtidos nos livros de registo das consultas pré-natal e maternidade, referente ao mês de dezembro dos anos de 2019 (pré pandêmico), 2020 (fase aguda) e de 2021 (fase amena) em dez centros de saúde do distrito de Nampula. Nas análises a fase pandêmica foi tida como única porque a variável dependente (peso ao nascer) não apresentou diferenças (p>0,05) quando comparado os anos de 2020 e 2021. Foi utilizado o Software Statistical Packege for the Social Sciences (SPSS) versão 20.0. A distribuição das variáveis foi avaliada conforme teste Kolmogorov Smirnov e a análise descritiva foi por mediana (valor mínimo e máximo). Para comparar as variáveis independentes entre os grupos foi aplicada o Teste Kruskal Wallis com post hoc de Dunn. A associação foi realizada pelo teste Qui-quadrado de Person (χ 2) e teste exato de Fisher com tabela de dupla entrada. A regressão logística binaria foi utilizada para avaliar a associação entre o peso ao nascer e as variáveis preditoras que apresentaram p<0,05)…

ALBERTO, Rapieque José, M.Sc., Universidade Federal de Viçosa, March 2023. Conditions of birth and associated gestational factors, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the district of Nampula, Mozambique. Advisor: Sílvia Eloiza Priore. Co-Advisor: Dayane de Castro Morais, Sylvia do Carmo Castro Franceschini and Amélia Suzana Eduardo Mandane. Introduction: Birth weight is an indicator with consequences on infant health and survival, it may increase the risk of morbidity and mortality in the first year of life when it is below 2.5 kilograms. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the health sector had to adjust the care model for pregnant women, which had a negative impact on maternal health and perinatal outcomes because of the implementation of restrictive measures to contain the spread of the virus. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the birth conditions and associated gestational factors before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the district of Nampula, Mozambique. Methodology: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study, carried out with data obtained from the records of prenatal and maternity consultations, referring to the month of December of the years 2019 (pre-pandemic), 2020 (acute phase) and 2021 (mild phase) in ten health canters in Nampula district. In the analysis, the pandemic phase was considered the only one because the dependent variable (birth weight) did not differ (p>0.05) when comparing the years 2020 and 2021. Was used The Statistical Package Software for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. The distribution of variables was evaluated according to the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test; the descriptive analysis was by median (minimum and maximum value). To compare the independent variables between the groups, the Kruskal Wallis Test with Dunn's post-hoc was applied. The association was performed using Person's chi-square test (χ2) and Fisher's exact test with a double entry table. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association between birth weight and the predictor variables that presented p<0.05)…

Risk factors for early occurrence of malnutrition in infants with severe congenital heart disease.

To identify the risk factors of early occurrence of malnutrition in infants with severe congenital heart disease (CHD) during their first year of life. Retrospective longitudinal multicenter study carried out from January 2014 to December 2020 in two tertiary care CHD centers. Four CHD hemodynamic groups were identified. Malnutrition was defined by a Waterlow score under 80% and/or underweight under -2 standard deviations. A total of 216 infants with a severe CHD, e.g., requiring cardiac surgery, cardiac catheterization, or hospitalization for heart failure during their first year of life, were included in the study. Malnutrition was observed among 43% of the cohort, with the highest prevalence in infants with increased pulmonary blood flow (71%) compared to the other hemodynamic groups (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, low birthweight (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.44-0.89, p = 0.009), CHD with increased pulmonary blood flow (OR 4.80, 95% CI 1.42-16.20, p = 0.08), heart failure (OR 9.26, 95% CI 4.04-21.25, p < 0.001), and the number of hospitalizations (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.08 l-1.69, p = 0.009) during the first year of life were associated with malnutrition (AUC 0.85, 95% CI 0.79-0.90).  Conclusions: In infants with a severe CHD, early occurrence of malnutrition during the first year of life affected a high proportion of subjects. CHD with increased pulmonary blood flow, low birthweight, heart failure, and repeated hospitalizations were risk factors for malnutrition. Further studies are required to identify optimal nutritional support in this population. What is Known: • Malnutrition is a known morbidity and mortality factor in children with severe congenital heart disease. What is New: • Early occurrence of malnutrition during the first year of life in infant severe congenital heart disease (CHD) was high (43%). • CHD with increased pulmonary blood flow, low birthweight, heart failure, and repeated hospitalizations during the first year of life were risk factors for malnutrition.

Factors associated with malnutrition in infants with congenital heart disease within one year after surgery / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To explore the risk factors of malnutrition in infants with congenital heart disease within one year after surgery. Methods: This retrospective cohort study selected 502 infants with congenital heart disease who underwent surgical treatment in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from February 2018 to January 2019. Their basic information and clinical data were analyzed, and their nutrition status after the surgery was followed up by questionnaire survey. Weight-for-age Z score (WAZ)≤-2 one year after operation was defined as malnutrition group, and WAZ>-2 was non-malnutrition group. The perioperative indicators and complementary food advancement were compared between the two groups by chi-square test, t-test, and Kruskal-Wallis test. The risk factors of malnutrition were analyzed by Logistic regression. Results: A total of 502 infants were selected, including 301 males and 201 females, with the age of 4.1 (2.0, 6.8) months. There were 90 cases in malnutrition group and 412 cases in non-malnutrition group. The body length and weight at birth in the malnutrition group were lower than those in the non-malnutrition group ((47.8±3.8) vs. (49.3±2.5) cm, (2.7±0.6) vs.(3.0±0.5) kg, both P<0.001). The proportion of paternal high school education or above and the proportion of family per capita income of 5 000 yuan or above in the malnutrition group were lower than those in the non-malnutrition group ((18.9% (17/90) vs. 30.8% (127/412), 18.9% (17/90) vs. 33.7% (139/412), both P<0.05). Compared to the non-malnutrition group, the proportion of complex congenital heart disease in the malnutrition group was higher (62.2% (56/90) vs. 47.3% (195/412), P<0.05). The postoperative mechanical ventilation time, postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) stay time, postoperative hospital stay, total length of ICU stay and total hospital stay in the malnutrition group were significantly longer than those in non-malnutrition group (all P<0.05). The proportion of egg and fish supplementation over 2 times/week within one year after the surgery was also lower in the malnutrition group (both P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that mother's weight at delivery (OR=0.95,95%CI 0.91-0.99), the pre-operative WAZ≤-2 (OR=6.04, 95%CI 3.13-11.65), the complexity of the cardiac disease (OR=2.23, 95%CI 1.22-4.06), the hospital stay after the surgery over 14 days (OR=2.61, 95%CI 1.30-5.26), the types of complementary food<4 (OR=2.57, 95%CI 1.39-4.76), and the frequency of meat and fish<2 times/week (OR=2.11, 95%CI 1.13-3.93) were the risk factors associated with malnutrition within one year after the surgery. Conclusion: Mother's weight at delivery pre-operative nutritional status, complexity of cardiac disease, postoperative hospital stay, types of daily supplements and frequency of fish are risk factors associated with malnutrition within one year after surgery in children with congenital heart disease.

Evaluating the role of breastfeeding peer supporters' intervention on the inpatient management of malnourished infants under 6 months in Kenyan public hospitals.

BACKGROUND: The 2013 WHO guidelines for nutritional rehabilitation of malnourished infants under six months (u6m) focus on inpatient re-establishment of exclusive breastfeeding and recommends discharge when infant is gaining weight on breastmilk alone. Guided by a breastfeeding support tool, breastfeeding peer supporters (BFPS) can support implementation of these guideline by providing continuous individualised breastfeeding counselling to mothers of malnourished infants u6m. Recording and sharing information plays an important role in shaping in-patient care but little is known about recording practices for inpatient nutrition rehabilitation of infants u6m or how such practices affect care. We set out to explore introduction of BFPS into hospitals, and how it shaped the recording and practices of care for acutely malnourished infants u6m. METHODS: We applied a descriptive, exploratory design involving a pre and during intervention audit of the infant u6m inpatient records in two hospitals in Kenya, as well as pre- and post-intervention in-depth interviews with health workers involved in the care of admitted infants u6m. We developed an audit tool and used it to extract routine data on patient information from hospital records. Data were entered into a REDCap database and analyzed using STATA 17.0 software. We conducted thirty in-depth interviews with health workers exploring their care practices and their perceived effect of the presence of the BFPS on health workers treatment practices. We analysed interview data using thematic framework approach. RESULTS: A total of 170 and 65 inpatient files were available for the audit during the pre- and post-intervention period respectively. The presence of the BFPS seemed to have encouraged the recording of (i) breastfeeding status upon admission, (ii) breastfeeding management plan and (iii) reporting of its implementation and progress during treatment. The breastfeeding peer support intervention had a positive impact on breastfeeding recording and reporting practices. Health workers reported that the BFPS facilitated the recording of observed breastfeeding data and how their records influenced final inputs of breastfeeding support provided in the inpatient file. CONCLUSIONS: Guideline implementation tools facilitate effective application of guidelines and should accompany any guideline formulation process and have their effectiveness at recording and monitoring progress evaluated.

Carers' and health workers' perspectives on malnutrition in infants aged under six months in rural Ethiopia: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES: Supporting small and nutritionally at-risk (potentially malnourished) infants under six months is a global health priority, albeit with a weak evidence-base. To inform policy and research in this area, we aimed to assess the perceptions and understanding of infant malnutrition and its management among carers, communities, and healthcare workers in rural Ethiopia. METHODS: We conducted in-depth and key-informant interviews, from May-August 2020 in Jimma Zone and Deder District, Ethiopia. We used purposive sampling to recruit the participants. Interviews were transcribed into Amharic or Afaan Oromo and then translated into English. Atlas ti-7 was used to support data analysis. Findings were narrated based on the different themes arising from the interviews. RESULTS: Carers/community members and healthcare workers reported on five different themes: 1) Perceptions about health and well-being: an 'ideal infant' slept well, fed well, was active and looked 'fat'; 2)Perceptions of feeding: overall knowledge of key recommendations like exclusive breastfeeding was good but practices were suboptimal, notably a cultural practice to give water to young infants; 3)Awareness about malnutrition: a key limitation was knowledge of exactly how to identify small and nutritionally at-risk infants; 4) Reasons for malnutrition: levels of understanding varied and included feeding problems and caregiver's work pressures resulting in the premature introduction of complementary feeds; 5) Perceptions about identification & treatment: carers prefer treatment close to home but were concerned about the quality of community-based services. CONCLUSION: To succeed, research projects that investigate programes that manage small and nutritionally at-risk infants under six months should understand and be responsive to the culture and context in which they operate. They should build on community strengths and tackle misunderstandings and barriers. Interventions beyond just focusing on knowledge and attitude of the carers and health workers are necessary to tackle the challenges around infants under 6 months of age at risk of malnutrition. Moreover, stakeholders beyond the health sector should also be involved in order to support the infants under 6 months and their mothers as some of the key reasons behind the at-risk infants are just beyond the capacity of the health sector or health system. Our list of themes could be used to inform infant nutrition work not just in Ethiopia but also in many others.

Middle East consensus recommendations on the use of young child formula (YCF) in toddlers.

The transition of foods during toddlerhood and the suboptimal diets consumed in the Middle East make children susceptible to malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. Based on international recommendations, coupled with the merits of clinical studies on the application of young child formula (YCF), a group of fourteen experts from the Middle East reached a consensus on improving the nutritional status of toddlers. The recommendations put forth by the expert panel comprised twelve statements related to the relevance of YCF in young children; the impact of YCF on their nutritional parameters and functional outcomes; characteristics of the currently available YCF and its ideal composition; strategies to supply adequate nutrition in young children and educational needs of parents and healthcare professionals (HCPs). This consensus aims to serve as a guide to HCPs and parents, focusing on improving the nutritional balance in toddlers in the Middle Eastern region. The panellists considere YCF to be one of the potential solutions to improve the nutritional status of young children in the region. Other strategies to improve the nutritional status of young children include fortified cow's milk and cereals, vitamin and mineral supplements, early introduction of meat and fish, and the inclusion of diverse foods in children's diets.

Infant Nutrition in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

The burden of infant malnutrition is greatest in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Infant malnutrition is defined based on distinct subcategories, among them stunting (low-height-for-age) and wasting (low-weight-for-height). Some experts are shifting more toward understanding the interplay between these overlapping phenotypes and other confounding factors such as maternal nutrition and environmental hygiene. Current guidelines emphasize appropriate breastfeeding and nutrition within the 1000 days from conception to a child's second birthday to optimize early development. Future research directed toward better biomarkers of malnutrition before acute clinical symptoms develop will help direct targeted efforts toward at-risk populations.

INTERGROWTH-21st versus a customized method for the prediction of neonatal nutritional status in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) generate complications and are one of the principal causes of maternal, foetal, and neonatal mortality worldwide. It has been observed that in pregnancies with HDP, the incidence of foetuses small for their gestational age (SGA) is twice as high as that in noncomplicated pregnancies. In women with HDP, the identification of foetuses (SGA) is substantially important, as management and follow-up are determined by this information. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the INTERGROWTH-21st method or customized birthweight references better identify newborns with an abnormal nutritional status resulting from HDP. METHOD: A comparative analysis study was designed with two diagnostic methods for the prediction of neonatal nutritional status in pregnancies with HDP. The performance of both methods in identifying neonatal malnutrition (defined by a neonatal body mass index < 10th centile or a ponderal index < 10th centile) was assessed by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, diagnostic odds ratio, Youden's index and probability ratios. RESULTS: The study included 226 pregnant women diagnosed with HDP. The customized method identified 45 foetuses as small for gestational age (19.9%), while the INTERGROWTH-21st method identified 27 newborns with SGA (11.9%). The difference between proportions was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Using body mass index (< 10th centile) as a measure of nutritional status, newborns identified as SGA by the customized method showed a higher risk of malnutrition than those identified as SGA by INTERGROWTH-21st (RR: 4.87 (95% CI: 1.86-12.77) vs. 3.75 (95% CI: 1.49-9.43)) (DOR: 5.56 (95% CI: 1.82-16.98) vs. 4.84 (95% CI: 1.51-15.54)) Even when using Ponderal index (< 10th centile), newborns identified as SGA by the customized method showed a higher risk of malnutrition than those identified as SGA by INTERGROWTH-21st (RR 2.37 (95% CI: 1.11-5.05) vs. 1.68 (95% CI: 0.70-4.03))(DOR 2.62 (95% CI: 1.00-6.87) vs. 1.90 (95% CI: 0.61-5.92)). CONCLUSION: In pregnant women with HDP, the predictive ability of the customized foetal growth curves to identify neonatal malnutrition appears to surpass that of INTERGROWTH-21st.

La desnutrición infantil en Ecuador. Una revisión de literatura / Child malnutrition in Ecuador. A literature review

La desnutrición infantil constituye un grave problema de salud, afectando los sectores sociales más desfavorecidos. La desnutrición causa disminución del crecimiento y del desempeño escolar, altera el estado bioquímico e incrementa la morbimortalidad infantil. Entre las principales causas de desnutrición están la dieta inadecuada, la presencia de infecciones que interfieren con la utilización adecuada de nutrientes, inequidad e insuficiente disponibilidad de alimentos. En América Latina, aproximadamente 2,3 millones de niños de 0 a 4 años se ven afectados por desnutrición moderada o grave y 8,8 millones presentan baja talla para su edad, con alta prevalencia de desnutrición crónica, lo que es atribuible a determinantes sociales, económicos y políticas de salud deficientes en la mayoría de países de la región. En Ecuador existe una prevalencia de desnutrición de 23,2%, situación que se agrava en el contexto rural, presentando más frecuencia en la Sierra (32%), la Costa (15,7%), la Amazonía (22,7%) y la zona Insular (5,8%), y aun cuando se han implementado programas de nutrición, los logros positivos de indicadores nutricionales, no han alcanzado impactar lo suficiente en algunas comunidades indígenas en las que se estima una tasa de desnutrición crónica infantil por encima de 50%. La presente investigación muestra los principales rasgos de la desnutrición infantil en Ecuador, partiendo de un diseño cualitativo, interpretativo y análisis documental con el objetivo de sistematizar el conocimiento y fortalecer las bases teórico-metodológicas de planes y estrategias necesarios para disminuir los efectos negativos de la desnutrición en el desarrollo infantil(AU)

Infant malnutrition constitutes a serious health problem, affecting the most disadvantaged social sectors. Malnutrition causes a decrease in growth and school performance, an alteration in the biochemical state and an increase in infant morbidity and mortality. Among the main causes of malnutrition are an inadequate diet, the presence of infections that interfere with the adequate use of nutrients, inequity, and insufficient food availability. In Latin America, approximately 2.3 million children aged 0 to 4 are affected by moderate or severe malnutrition and 8.8 million are short for their age, with a high prevalence of chronic malnutrition, which is attributable to social determinants economic, economic and health policies in most countries of the region. In Ecuador there is a prevalence of malnutrition of 23.2%, a situation that worsens in the rural context, presenting more frequency in the Sierra (32%), the Coast (15.7%), the Amazon (22.7%) and the Insular zone (5.8%), and even when nutrition programs have been implemented, the positive achievements of nutritional indicators have not had a sufficient impact on some indigenous communities in which a rate of chronic child malnutrition is estimated by above 50%. This research shows the main features of child malnutrition in Ecuador, starting from a qualitative, interpretive design and documentary analysis with the aim of systematizing knowledge and strengthening the theoretical-methodological bases of plans and strategies necessary to reduce the negative effects of the malnutrition in child development(AU)