The impact of Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF) in targeted supplementation of children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) in South Africa
Objective: To describe catch-up growth in children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) on targeted supplementation using Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF). Methods: An impact study was done to determine anthropometric changes in children aged 12–60 months who received RUSF (175 kcal/kg/day...
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AOSIS
2015-09-01
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| Series: | South African Family Practice |
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| Online Access: | https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/4192 |
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| author | Liana Steenkamp Ronette Lategan Jacques Raubenheimer |
| author_facet | Liana Steenkamp Ronette Lategan Jacques Raubenheimer |
| author_sort | Liana Steenkamp |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: To describe catch-up growth in children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) on targeted supplementation using Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF).
Methods: An impact study was done to determine anthropometric changes in children aged 12–60 months who received RUSF (175 kcal/kg/day) for six weeks, managed as outpatients and followed up for 12 weeks until a final assessment.
Results: Default rates were high, with 30% of children returning to the primary healthcare facility for follow-up only once or twice. Despite significant improvement in height-for-age Z-score (HAZ), weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ), weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), 70.5% of the sample remained in the same malnutrition classification and only 26% recovered. The growth velocity of children with a lower initial WHZ was significantly higher (r = –0.15, p 0.05) than those with less wasting, but only 20% grew at a rate to achieve catch-up growth. The mean growth velocity decreased as the intervention period continued.
Conclusion: All median anthropometric indicators improved with RUSF supplementation. However, catch-up growth or recovery occurred in only 20–25% of children included in the study. These findings create questions about the value of supplementation in the absence of blanket food distribution or other interventions to address food security. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e711ae226e2243b7bd9fb2a15765a639 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2078-6190 2078-6204 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2015-09-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Family Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-e711ae226e2243b7bd9fb2a15765a6392025-08-20T03:43:47ZengAOSISSouth African Family Practice2078-61902078-62042015-09-0157510.4102/safp.v57i5.41923536The impact of Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF) in targeted supplementation of children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) in South AfricaLiana Steenkamp0Ronette Lategan1Jacques Raubenheimer2HIV & AIDS Research Unit, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port ElizabethDepartment of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, BloemfonteinDepartment of Biostatistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, BloemfonteinObjective: To describe catch-up growth in children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) on targeted supplementation using Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF). Methods: An impact study was done to determine anthropometric changes in children aged 12–60 months who received RUSF (175 kcal/kg/day) for six weeks, managed as outpatients and followed up for 12 weeks until a final assessment. Results: Default rates were high, with 30% of children returning to the primary healthcare facility for follow-up only once or twice. Despite significant improvement in height-for-age Z-score (HAZ), weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ), weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), 70.5% of the sample remained in the same malnutrition classification and only 26% recovered. The growth velocity of children with a lower initial WHZ was significantly higher (r = –0.15, p 0.05) than those with less wasting, but only 20% grew at a rate to achieve catch-up growth. The mean growth velocity decreased as the intervention period continued. Conclusion: All median anthropometric indicators improved with RUSF supplementation. However, catch-up growth or recovery occurred in only 20–25% of children included in the study. These findings create questions about the value of supplementation in the absence of blanket food distribution or other interventions to address food security.https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/4192childrengrowth velocitymoderate acute malnutrition (mam)ready-to-use supplementary foodrusfsupplementation |
| spellingShingle | Liana Steenkamp Ronette Lategan Jacques Raubenheimer The impact of Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF) in targeted supplementation of children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) in South Africa South African Family Practice children growth velocity moderate acute malnutrition (mam) ready-to-use supplementary food rusf supplementation |
| title | The impact of Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF) in targeted supplementation of children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) in South Africa |
| title_full | The impact of Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF) in targeted supplementation of children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | The impact of Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF) in targeted supplementation of children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF) in targeted supplementation of children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) in South Africa |
| title_short | The impact of Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF) in targeted supplementation of children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) in South Africa |
| title_sort | impact of ready to use supplementary food rusf in targeted supplementation of children with moderate acute malnutrition mam in south africa |
| topic | children growth velocity moderate acute malnutrition (mam) ready-to-use supplementary food rusf supplementation |
| url | https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/4192 |
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