Impact of home food production on nutritional blindness, stunting, wasting, underweight and mortality in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials.

Vitamin A deficiency is highly prevalent and remains the major cause of nutritional blindness in children in low-and middle-income countries, despite supplementation programmes. Xeropthalmia (severe drying and thickening of the conjunctiva) is caused by vitamin A deficiency and leads to irreversible blindness. Vitamin A supplementation programmes effectively reduce vitamin A deficiency but many rural children are not reached. Home food production may help prevent rural children's vitamin A deficiency. We aimed to systematically review trials assessing effects of home food production (also called homestead food production and agricultural interventions) on xeropthalmia, nightblindness, stunting, wasting, underweight and mortality (primary outcomes). We searched Medline, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane CENTRAL and trials registers to February 2019. Inclusion of studies, data extraction and risk of bias were assessed independently in duplicate. Random-effects meta-analysis, sensitivity analyses, subgrouping and GRADE were used. We included 16 trials randomizing 2498 children, none reported xerophthalmia, night-blindness or mortality. Home food production may slightly reduce stunting (mean difference (MD) 0.13 (z-score), 95% CI 0.01 to 0.24), wasting (MD 0.05 (z-score), 95% CI -0.04 to 0.14) and underweight (MD 0.07 (z-score), 95% CI -0.01 to 0.15) in young children (all GRADE low-consistency evidence), and increase dietary diversity (standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.24, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.34). Home food production may usefully complement vitamin A supplementation for rural children. Large, long-duration trials with good randomization, allocation concealment and correct adjustment for clustering are needed to assess effectiveness of home food production on nutritional blindness in young children.

Growth management and prevalence of underweight of indigenous children (Orang Asli) in Peninsular Malaysia: a clinical audit.

BACKGROUND: Most indigenous people (Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia) live in poverty, and their children are at risk of growth problems due to nutrition deficiency. Routine health and growth assessments are essential to identify these children. This clinical audit aimed to determine the growth management of indigenous children and the prevalence of underweight among these children in Perak state, Malaysia. METHODS: A clinical audit was conducted in 2016 after obtaining consensus from stakeholders for audit criteria, forms, and procedures. All weight-for-age growth charts of Orang Asli children aged 2 and below were sampled for retrospective audit. This audit excluded children who required special needs. Growth charts were examined against audit criteria: (i) quality of growth chart plotting (charts were not plotted, incompletely plotted, or incorrectly plotted), (ii) presence of underweight, and (iii) appropriateness of action taken (appropriate or inappropriate action) according to local standard operating policies. Eligible auditors were first trained using simulated growth charts. RESULTS: Out of 1329 growth charts audited, 797 (60%) growth charts were correctly plotted, 527 (39.7%) were incompletely or incorrectly plotted, and five (0.3%) were not plotted. Overall, 40.0% of the growth chart was plotted incorrectly or completely not plotted. 550 (41.4%) children were found to be underweight, and 71.5% of them received inappropriate care management. Where growth charts were correctly plotted, 283 children were identified with underweight problems, and 194 (68.6%) of them received inappropriate care. For growth charts that were plotted incompletely or incorrectly, 267 children were identified as having underweight problems, and 199 (74.5%) received inappropriate care. The growth status of 265 (19.9%) children was unable to be determined due to incomplete plotting. CONCLUSION: Approximately 40% of indigenous Orang Asli children aged 2 years and under were underweight, and most of them received inappropriate care.

HRV analysis: undependability of approximate entropy at locating optimum complexity in malnourished children.

INTRODUCTION: Approximate Entropy is an extensively enforced metric to evaluate chaotic responses and irregularities of RR intervals sourced from an eletrocardiogram. However, to estimate their responses, it has one major problem - the accurate determination of tolerances and embedding dimensions. So, we aimed to overt this potential hazard by calculating numerous alternatives to detect their optimality in malnourished children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 70 subjects split equally: malnourished children and controls. To estimate autonomic modulation, the heart rate was measured lacking any physical, sensory or pharmacologic stimuli. In the time series attained, Approximate Entropy was computed for tolerance (0.1→0.5 in intervals of 0.1) and embedding dimension (1→5 in intervals of 1) and the statistical significances between the groups by their Cohen's ds and Hedges's gs were totalled. RESULTS: The uppermost value of statistical significance accomplished for the effect sizes for any of the combinations was -0.2897 (Cohen's ds) and -0.2865 (Hedges's gs). This was achieved with embedding dimension = 5 and tolerance = 0.3. CONCLUSIONS: Approximate Entropy was able to identify a reduction in chaotic response via malnourished children. The best values of embedding dimension and tolerance of the Approximate Entropy to identify malnourished children were, respectively, embedding dimension = 5 and embedding tolerance = 0.3. Nevertheless, Approximate Entropy is still an unreliable mathematical marker to regulate this.

Stunting and overweight among children in Northeast Brazil: prevalence, trends (1992-2005-2015) and associated risk factors from repeated cross-sectional surveys.

BACKGROUND: A study involving children from Alagoas (Northeast Brazil) revealed that, as a consequence of a drastic reduction in the prevalence of stunting between 1992 to 2005, (22.5 to 11.4%) combined with an increase in overweight prevalence (6.7 to 9.3%), the prevalence of these two conditions in 2005 was very close. If these trends were maintained, it is very likely that, at this time, the childhood overweight prevalence has already exceeded that of the stunting. However, no study is available to confirm this hypothesis. The identification of these changes is relevant to the planning and evaluation of public policies. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, time trends and associated factors with stunting and overweight in children from Alagoas. METHODS: Independent cross-sectional household surveys were conducted in 1992 (n = 1231), 2005 (n = 1381) and 2015 (n = 988). Data were collected from probabilistic samples of children aged 0-60 months. Stunting was defined by stature-for-age < - 2 sd and overweight by weight-for-stature > 2 sd. RESULTS: Between 1992, 2005 and 2015, the stunting prevalence was 22.6, 11.2 and 3.2% (reduction of 85.8%), while the overweight prevalence was 6.9, 7.5 and 14.9% (increase of 115.9%), respectively. After multivariate analysis, the following positive associations with stunting were observed in 1992: age group > 24 months (28.3% vs 14.5%), mother with ≥2 children (28.8% vs 12.8%), low birth weight (28.3% vs 15.7%) and mother with low schooling (29.3% vs 7.2%). In 2015 there was a higher prevalence of stunting in males (4.2% vs 2.2%), in children < 24 months (4.6% vs 2.2%), with low birth weight (8.6% vs 3.0%) and in those who had mothers with low schooling (7.0% vs 2.6%). Regarding overweight, in 1992 there was higher prevalence for male (9.1% vs 4.7%) and in children whose mothers had ≤2 children (8.9% vs 5.8%), while in 2015 only birth weight >  4 kg was associated to overweight (27.3% vs 14.2%). CONCLUSIONS: During the analyzed period, there was a significant decrease in stunting prevalence. At the same time, a substantial increase was observed in the overweight prevalence. Currently, stunting is a problem of low magnitude, while overweight has become a worrying public health problem.

The association between malnutrition and childhood disability in low- and middle- income countries: systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between childhood disability and malnutrition in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). METHODS: Articles were identified from 1990 to August 2017 by searching nine electronic databases. Epidemiological studies, undertaken in LMICs that compared the prevalence of malnutrition in children with disabilities to children without disabilities were eligible for inclusion. Titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened by two reviewers, and data were extracted using a structured table for eligible papers. Meta-analyses for the association between childhood disability and undernutrition were performed. RESULTS: The search generated 4678 results, from which 17 articles were eligible. Fifty-three per cent of these studies showed a positive association between childhood disability and undernutrition. Results varied when disaggregated by type of disability, with positive associations identified for 44% of studies focussed on neurodevelopmental disability, 60% of general disability studies and 67% of studies on hearing impairment. Only four studies were identified that considered overnutrition outcomes, and these showed variable results. Eighteen per cent of eligible studies were considered at low risk of bias, 53% had a medium risk, and 29% had a high risk of bias. Pooled ORs showed that children with disabilities were almost three times more likely to be underweight (OR 2.97, 95% CI 2.33, 3.79), and nearly twice as likely to experience stunting and wasting (Stunting: 1.82, 1.40, 2.36; Wasting: 1.90, 1.32-2.75), compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Children with disabilities may be a vulnerable group for undernutrition in LMICs, which should be reflected in disability and nutritional programming and policy-making.

Maternal Health Literacy Is Associated with Early Childhood Nutritional Status in India.

BACKGROUND: The global burden of child undernutrition is concentrated in South Asia, where gender inequality and female educational disadvantage are important factors. Maternal health literacy is linked to women's education and empowerment, can influence multiple malnutrition determinants, and is rapidly modifiable. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated whether maternal health literacy is associated with child undernutrition in 2 resource-poor Indian populations. METHODS: We conducted cross-sectional surveys in an urban and a rural site, interviewing 1 woman with a child aged 12-23 mo/household. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted independently for each site. The main exposure was maternal health literacy. We assessed respondents' ability to understand, appraise, and apply health-related information with the use of Indian health promotion materials. The main outcomes were severe stunting, severe underweight, and severe wasting. We classified children as having a severe nutritional deficiency if their z score was <-3 SDs from the WHO reference population for children of the same age and sex. Analyses controlled for potential confounding factors including parental education and household wealth. RESULTS: Rural and urban analyses included 1116 and 657 mother-child pairs, respectively. In each site, fully adjusted models showed that children of mothers with high health literacy had approximately half the likelihood of being severely stunted (rural adjusted OR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.33, 0.74; P = 0.001; urban adjusted OR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.35, 0.94; P = 0.028) or severely underweight (rural adjusted OR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.38, 0.87; P = 0.009; urban adjusted OR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.25, 0.91; P = 0.025) than children of mothers with low health literacy. Health literacy was not associated with severe wasting. CONCLUSIONS: In resource-poor rural and urban settings in India, maternal health literacy is associated with child nutritional status. Programs targeting health literacy may offer effective entry points for intervention.

Description of the etiological factors behind acute moderate and severe malnutrition in children under 5 years hospitalized at two high-complexity referral centers: Case series.

BACKGROUND: Acute malnutrition in children <5 years of age has a direct relationship with medical complications and mortality. We aimed to describe the etiologic factors in children with moderate and severe non-illness-related acute malnutrition who required hospitalization for treatment of malnutrition in two high-complexity hospital centers in Bogotá, Colombia. METHODS: This is a multicenter case series (December 2016 to December 2020) including patients aged 1-59 months with a weight/height indicator less than -2 SD. Electronic health records were reviewed, and demographic (sex, age, city of origin, and socioeconomic status) and clinical data (gestational age at birth, edema, and nutrition status) were collected. Descriptive analysis of information was performed. An exploratory bivariate analysis by diagnostic categories of moderate and severe acute malnutrition vs days of hospitalization was also performed. RESULTS: Forty-five patients were included, 62.2% of whom were male, with a median age of 14 months (Q1-Q3: 7-24). The main etiologic factors of malnutrition were related to problems with total food intake (33.3%), transition in consistency of feeding (31.1%), and breastfeeding technique (22.2%). Only 13.3% had problems related to food insecurity. There were no statistically significant differences between moderate (median: 7 days; Q1-Q3: 5-12) and severe (median: 8 days; Q1-Q3: 5-16) acute malnutrition when compared by days of hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: The main etiologic factors of malnutrition in our study population were related to problems in the amount of food provided and transition in consistency of complementary feeding.

Women's Autonomy and Anemia in Children under Five Years of Age: A Peruvian Population-Based Survey.

To determine the association between women's autonomy and the presence of childhood anemia in children under five years of age in Peru, a cross-sectional study utilizing data from the 2019 Demographic and Family Health Survey was carried out. The study employed generalized linear models with a Poisson distribution and log link function. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) were calculated, along with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI), to assess the association of interest. A total of 15,815 women and their children under five years of age were analyzed. The prevalence of childhood anemia was 30.4% (95%CI: 29.5-31.3%), while the proportions of low, moderate and high autonomy of the mothers were 44.5%, 38.4% and 17.1%, respectively. Children under five years of age of women with a low level of autonomy were more likely to have anemia (aPR: 1.10; 95%CI: 1.00-1.21). Three out of ten children under five years of age suffer from anemia, and four out of ten mothers have a low level of autonomy. A low level of women's autonomy was associated with a higher probability of anemia in children under 5 years of age.

A Mediterranean-Diet-Based Nutritional Intervention for Children with Prediabetes in a Rural Town: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Prediabetes is a pathological condition in which the blood glucose concentration is higher than normal concentrations but lower than those considered necessary for a type 2 diabetes mellitus diagnosis. Various authors have indicated that the Mediterranean Diet is one of the dietary patterns with the most healthy outcomes, reducing high levels of HbA1c, triglycerides, BMI, and other anthropometric parameters. The main objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of the nutritional intervention for children with prediabetes, including the effectiveness of this nutritional education regarding anthropometric parameters. A randomized pilot trial with two groups, an experimental group (EG) and a control group (CG), using intervention in dietary habits with nutritional reinforcement was carried out on 29 children with prediabetes from a rural area. The nutritional intervention was analyzed through astrophotometric and glycemic measurements and validated surveys. Results: The results indicated improvement in eating habits, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, anthropometric measurements, mainly body mass index and perimeters, and analytical parameters, with a significant decrease in glycated hemoglobin in the EG compared to the CG (p < 0.001). Although the results showed that both groups' anthropometric parameters improved, a more significant decrease was observed in the experimental group compared to the control.

[Infant feeding, how to choose an infant milk?] / Alimentation du nourrisson : comment choisir un lait infantile ?

Infant feeding, how to choose an infant milk? The infant's nutrition is of particular concern, not only to assume a good nutritional status, an adequate growth and development, but also, to some extent, for his future health. Breast feeding remains the best choice but needs to be counseled in practice and in order to avoid deficiencies as well as chemical or in¬fectious contaminations. As a substitute to breast milk, none non modified mammalian milk fits the infant's nutritional needs. Similarly, no non-modified vegetal juice fits these needs, being able to provoke severe nutritional deficiencies. Out of the numerous available formulas, a choice criterion should be the presence of arachidonic acid in infant and follow-up formulae. No other ingredient can yet be counseled as inescapable for every healthy infant. Anti-reflux substitutes are useful for the spitting infants. The lac¬tose-free formulas should be used only in protracted or severe acute diarrheas. Extended hydrolysates of cow's milk proteins, or hydrolyzed rice formulas are prescribed in cow's milk allergy. In rare cases of allergy to these formulas, an amino-acid mixture-based formula is an alternative.

Alimentation du nourrisson : comment choisir un lait infantile ? L'alimentation du nourrisson revêt une importance cruciale non seulement pour assurer un bon état nutritionnel, un développement et une croissance optimaux mais aussi, dans une certaine mesure, pour sa santé ultérieure. L'allaitement maternel est à l'évidence le meilleur choix, mais il doit être accompagné, en termes de pratique et de prévention, des risques caren¬tiels, toxiques et infectieux. À titre de substitut du lait maternel, aucun lait brut de mammifère ne convient au nourrisson. Il en est de même des boissons végétales, non adaptées, qui font courir le risque de carences graves. Parmi les multiples préparations infantiles disponibles, le critère principal de choix pour l'enfant de moins de 1an en bonne santé serait la présence d'acide arachidonique, composé que la réglementation européenne n'a pas rendu obligatoire. Il ne se dégage actuellement aucun autre critère de choix dont l'intérêt soit totalement prouvé pour tous les nourrissons. Les laits antireflux ont un intérêt contre les régurgitations, les laits sans lactose en cas de diarrhée sévère ou prolongée. Les hydrolysats poussés et les préparations à base de riz sont utilisés en cas d'allergie au lait de vache, remplacés par des mélanges d'acides aminés en cas d'allergie à ces deux substituts.

[Diversification de l'alimentation du nourrisson]. / Complementary feeding in infant.

Adequate dietary intake for infant development. The main nutrients required for an adequate infant de¬velopment, particularly neurological, are some lipids (essential fatty acids, arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids), iron, calcium and vitamind. Appropriate energy intake is also necessary to allow growth. During the first 6 months, these needs are well covered by breastfeeding or infant formula. After complementary feeding intro¬duction, breastfeeding with iron supplementation or consumption of at least 700ml per day of infant for¬mula, addition of fat in each of the salty dishes and vitamin d supplementation allow to ensure all these basic needs. Contrary to popular belief, neither the reasonable addition of salt and sugar to infant meals, nor the excess protein intake induce any risk.

Les apports alimentaires indispensables au développement du nourrisson. Les principaux nutriments indispensables au bon développement, notamment neurologique, des nourrissons sont certains lipides (acides gras essentiels, acides arachidonique et docosahexaénoïque), le fer, le calcium et la vitamine  D. Des apports énergétiques suffisants sont aussi nécessaires pour assurer une croissance staturo-pondérale satisfaisante. Au cours des six premiers mois, ces besoins sont bien couverts par l'allaitement maternel ou une préparation infantile. Après la diversification, l'allaitement avec une supplémentation martiale ou la consommation d'au moins 700  mL par jour de lait infantile, l'ajout de graisses dans chacun des plats salés et la supplémentation en vitamine  D permettent d'assurer la totalité de ces besoins essentiels. Contrairement à une idée répandue, ni l'ajout raisonnable de sel et de sucre dans les plats du nourrisson ni l'excès d'apports protéiques n'exposent à un quelconque risque.

[Adequate dietary intake for infant development]. / Les apports alimentaires indispensables au développement du nourrisson.

Adequate dietary intake for infant development. The main nutrients required for an adequate infant de¬velopment, particularly neurological, are some lipids (essential fatty acids, arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids), iron, calcium and vitamind. Appropriate energy intake is also necessary to allow growth. During the first 6 months, these needs are well covered by breastfeeding or infant formula. After complementary feeding intro¬duction, breastfeeding with iron supplementation or consumption of at least 700ml per day of infant for¬mula, addition of fat in each of the salty dishes and vitamin d supplementation allow to ensure all these basic needs. Contrary to popular belief, neither the reasonable addition of salt and sugar to infant meals, nor the excess protein intake induce any risk.

Les apports alimentaires indispensables au développement du nourrisson. Les principaux nutriments indispensables au bon développement, notamment neurologique, des nourrissons sont certains lipides (acides gras essentiels, acides arachidonique et docosahexaénoïque), le fer, le calcium et la vitamine  D. Des apports énergétiques suffisants sont aussi nécessaires pour assurer une croissance staturo-pondérale satisfaisante. Au cours des six premiers mois, ces besoins sont bien couverts par l'allaitement maternel ou une préparation infantile. Après la diversification, l'allaitement avec une supplémentation martiale ou la consommation d'au moins 700  mL par jour de lait infantile, l'ajout de graisses dans chacun des plats salés et la supplémentation en vitamine  D permettent d'assurer la totalité de ces besoins essentiels. Contrairement à une idée répandue, ni l'ajout raisonnable de sel et de sucre dans les plats du nourrisson ni l'excès d'apports protéiques n'exposent à un quelconque risque.

[Inadequate infant diets and false food allergies]. / Régimes alimentaires inadaptés du nourrisson et fausses allergies alimentaires.

INADEQUATE INFANT DIETS AND FALSE FOOD allergiesthe administration, by families, of more or less extensive avoidance diets of food to their infants has been a growing problem in recent years. Regardless of certain parental beliefs, these diets are also often set up to treat mild digestive disorders or suspected food allergies. In young children, these diets, without cow's milk protein, vegetarians or even vegans or eliminating foods on unsuitable allergological tests, not supervised by health professionals, can lead to nutritional complications which are sometimes serious and life-threatening. It is therefore important to detect possible nutritional deficiencies, to treat them and to resume, after explanations to the family, a diet as little restricted as possible.

RÉGIMES ALIMENTAIRES INADAPTÉS DU NOURRISSON ET FAUSSES ALLERGIES alimentairesla mise en place, par les familles, de régimes d'évictions, plus ou moins larges, de certains aliments pour leurs nourrissons est un problème croissant depuis quelques années. Indépendamment de certaines croyances parentales, ces régimes sont également souvent destinés à traiter des troubles digestifs bénins ou des allergies alimentaires supposées. Chez le jeune enfant, ces régimes qu'ils soient végétariens, végétaliens ou reposant sur des tests allergologiques inadaptés et non encadrés par des professionnels de santé, peuvent conduire à des complications nutritionnelles parfois graves, engageant le pronostic vital. Il est donc important de dépister d'éventuelles carences, de les traiter et de reprendre, idéalement après explications à la famille, un régime le moins restreint possible.

Nutrition Assessment and Intervention in a Pediatric Patient with Angelman Syndrome: A Case Presentation Highlighting Clinical Challenges and Evidence-Based Solutions.

BACKGROUND: Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare disorder of genetic imprinting which results in intellectual and developmental disability. It meets criteria of a disorder of neurologic impairment. A deletion in the long arm of chromosome 15 (del 15q11.2-q13) is responsible for about 70% of cases of AS (deletion genotype). SUMMARY: There is a paucity of evidence to allow algorithmic nutrition assessment and intervention in pediatric patients with AS. Therefore, our objective is to use a case presentation to provide an example of nutrition assessment and intervention in a pediatric patient with the deletion genotype of AS and then highlight common challenges to providing evidenced-based nutrition care. For the highlighted challenges, we suggest evidence-based solutions to provide a resource for clinicians who may encounter similar challenges in clinical practice. Key Messages: There are genotype-phenotype correlations in AS that can help guide clinicians regarding nutritionally relevant clinical characteristics and corresponding interventions that are patient specific. The deletion genotype in AS is associated with multiple characteristics that are relevant to nutrition care and may also be different and/or more severe than characteristics seen in other AS genetic mechanisms. There is also overlap in certain nutritionally relevant clinical characteristics between AS and other conditions, including Prader-Willi syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, and disorders of neurological impairment like cerebral palsy. Clinicians can utilize nutrition resources related to these conditions to expand the scope of relevant resources available.

Validation and Adaptation of the Spanish Version of the STRONGkids Nutrition Screening Tool.

BACKGROUND: The use of malnutrition screening tools (MSTs) among hospitalized pediatric patients is a simple practice that may allow the identification of patients at nutrition risk. There are different tools developed in the English language, but there are limited data available on their validity when translated into other languages. The aim of this study was to construct a Spanish version (SV) of the STRONGkids MST and determine its validity and reliability in a pediatric population. METHODS: The translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the tool was performed, followed by the reliability, feasibility, and validity of the SV of the STRONGkids MST. Anthropometric assessment was used as the reference standard to evaluate the criterion validity of the MST. The length of hospital stay was used to determine predictive validity. RESULTS: A total 400 children were included in the study, 90 of whom took part in the reliability phase. The interrater agreement between dietitians and nursing staff was kappa (κ) = 0.67, while the intrarater agreement among dietitians was κ = 0.82. The feasibility of the MST was adequate for clinical use. The results for criterion validity between STRONGkids and anthropometric assessment was κ = 0.56, and the criterion validity between STRONGkids and length of hospital stay was κ = 0.20. The sensitivity of the MST was 86% and the specificity was 72%. CONCLUSIONS: The SV of the MST showed good reliability and feasibility. The validity is moderate, and the MST could be considered a useful resource for early detection of malnutrition risk.

Association of nutritional support programs with zinc deficiency in Colombian children: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Zinc is an essential trace element that plays a key role in the immune, gastrointestinal, respiratory and nervous systems. In Colombia, a vast percentage of children live in low-income households with food insecurity and nutritional deficiencies, including zinc. In an effort to improve children's well-being, public health measures such as nutritional support programs that provide meals have targeted the poorest populations. The aim of the present study was to assess the role of nutritional support programs on zinc deficiency in Colombian children, while considering their wealth and food security. METHODS: Cross-sectional study using data from the 2010 Colombian National Nutrition Survey, a population-based study representative of Colombia. A total of 4275 children between 12 and 59 months of age were included in the study. Stepwise logistic regressions were modelled with SPSS, first for zinc deficiency on wealth and food security, then adding enrolment in a nutritional support program, and finally, adjusting for socio-demographic variables. RESULTS: A zinc deficiency prevalence of 49% was found. The adjusted models showed an association of wealth quintiles: very poor (OR = 1.48) and poor (OR = 1.39), food security (OR = 0.75) and enrolment in a nutritional support program (OR = 0.76) with zinc deficiency. Enrolment in nutritional programs did not modify the relationship of wealth and food security to zinc deficiency. CONCLUSION: Zinc deficiency is associated with wealth, food security and enrolment in nutritional support programs. Nutritional programs may be a good alternative against zinc deficiency, if they focus appropriately on the needs of children according to their wealth and food security.

Animal Source Food Consumption in Young Children from Four Regions of Ethiopia: Association with Religion, Livelihood, and Participation in the Productive Safety Net Program.

INTRODUCTION: Child undernutrition remains a challenge globally and in the geographically diverse country of Ethiopia. Improving dietary diversity and consumption of animal source foods are important for improving child nutrition and corresponding health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to identify household and community factors associated with consumption of animal source foods among 6 to 36-month-old children from four regions of Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey using multistage probability sampling in eight geographic zones and four regions of Ethiopia took place in 2015 with parents/caretakers of 6 to 36-month-old children. Data was collected on demographic information, proxy indicators of socioeconomic status, and food consumed by the child the day before the survey. RESULTS: Increased child age, pastoral livelihood, Muslim religion, and participation in the Productive Safety Net Program were associated with increased consumption of animal source foods. Odds of animal source foods consumption increased by 8% with each 3-month age increase. Children from pastoralist households were the most likely to have consumed animal source foods in the preceding 24 hours as compared with those in agro-pastoralist households (0.21 times as likely) or those in agriculturalist/farming households (0.15 times as likely). The odds of consumption of animal source foods for families with food aid or safety net support was 1.7 times greater among those receiving traditional support from the Productive Safety Net Program and 4.5 times greater for those in the direct support arm of the program. CONCLUSIONS: The findings illustrate the importance of accounting for local context and community characteristics, such as livelihood and religion, when undertaking programming designed to improve diversity of children's diets through increasing animal source foods. In addition, the Productive Safety Net Program may be a critical determinant of dietary diversity for young children in these regions.

Adherencia a un programa alimentario dirigido a niños menores de 5 años, que asisten a un Hospital Materno Infantil de Asunción, Paraguay

Introducción. El Programa Alimentario Nutricional Integral (PANI) viene ejecutando acciones desde el año 2015 en servicios de salud de Asunción y años antes en otras regiones del país, con el fin de reducir los efectos negativos de la desnutrición; sin embargo, el éxito del PANI depende de la adherencia de los beneficiarios. Objetivo. Determinar la adherencia a un programa alimentario para el tratamiento de la desnutrición en niños menores de 5 años, ingresados en un Hospital Materno Infantil de Asunción, entre los años 2018 y 2021. Materiales y Método. Estudio observacional, descriptivo, de corte transversal. Se incluyeron todos los niños ingresados al PANI del Hospital Materno Infantil de elección entre los años 2018 y 2021, digitalizados en planilla Excel y analizados con el software Epi Info versión 7. Resultados. De 211 niños registrados se obtuvo datos de 166 pacientes con una edad media ± 1 de 1,3 años ± 1, 53% niñas, el 50% presentaba un ingreso familiar menor al salario mínimo. El 87,35% de los niños ingresó con riesgo de desnutrición, 10,84% con desnutrición moderada y 1,81% grave. La tasa de deserción fue de 67,5%. Conclusión. La adherencia al tratamiento de la desnutrición fue baja. La implementación del PANI como política de salud debe ser fortalecida y monitoreada permanentemente de forma a garantizar sus objetivos, abordando otras variables que puedan estar relacionadas a la deserción. Palabras clave: desnutrición infantil; programas y políticas de nutrición y alimentación; cumplimiento y adherencia al tratamiento.

Introduction. The Comprehensive Nutritional Food Program (PANI) has been carrying out actions since 2015 in health services in Asunción and years before in other regions of the country, in order to reduce the negative effects of malnutrition, however; the success of PANI depends of the beneficiaries' adherence. Objective. To determine adherence to a food program for the treatment of malnutrition in children under 5 years of age, admitted to a Maternal and Child Hospital in Asunción, between 2018 and 2021. Materials and Method. Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study, with non-probabilistic sampling. Secondary data from children admitted to the PANI of the Maternal and Child Hospital of choice between 2018 and 2021 were included, digitized in an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed with the Epi Info version 7 software. Results. 166 samples participated in the study; The average age of the users was 1.3 years ± 1 SD. 53% were girls; 100% were of Latin ethnicity. 87.35% of children were admitted at risk of malnutrition, while moderate and severe malnutrition was 10.84% and 1.81% respectively. 50% had an income less than the minimum wage. Dropouts were 67.5% and admissions were 32.5%. Conclusion. Adherence to malnutrition treatment was low. The implementation of the PANI as a health policy must be strengthened and permanently monitored in order to guarantee its objectives, addressing other variables that may be related to dropout.