Cereal-based fermented foods as microbiota-directed products for improved child nutrition and health in sub-Saharan Africa.

Several strategies, programs and policies have long been developed and implemented to alleviate child malnutrition in sub-Saharan African countries. However, stunting and wasting still persist at an alarming rate, suggesting that alternative strategies are needed to induce faster progress toward the 2030 SDGs targets of reducing malnutrition. Gut microbiota-directed intervention is now being recognized as an unconventional powerful approach to mitigate malnutrition and improve overall child health. In an African setting, manufactured probiotic and synbiotic foods or supplements may not be successful owing to the non-affordability and high attachment of African populations to their food tradition. This review analyses the potential of indigenous fermented cereal-based products including porridges, doughs, beverages, bread- and yoghurt-like products, to be used as microbiota-directed foods for over 6 months children. The discussion includes relevant strategies to effectively enhance the beneficial effects of these products on gut microbiota composition for improved child health and nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa. Characterization of probiotic features and general safety of food processing in sub-Saharan Africa as well as randomized clinical studies are still lacking to fully ascertain the health effects and suitability of these fermented foods in preventing and treating child malnutrition and diarrhea.

Ready-to-Use Supplementary-Food Biscuit Production with Low-Cost Ingredients for Malnourished Children in Sub-Saharan Africa.

In Africa, the number of children under 5 years old who suffer from stunting and wasting are, respectively, 61.4 and 12.1 million, and to manage situations like these, emergency food products like RUTF and RUSF (ready-to-use therapeutic/supplementary food) are very useful. The aim of this study was to develop an RUSF biscuit using the low-cost food resources usually present in Sub-Saharan Africa (Burundi and the DRCongo in our case study); we conducted chemical characterization, nutritional evaluation, and a stability trial simulating the usual storage conditions in a rural context to demonstrate that RUSF can be functional also using low-cost ingredients and a simple method of production. The obtained recipes showed good potential in supplying protein integration-17.81% (BUR) and 16.77% (CON) (% as food) were the protein contents-and the protein digestibility values were very high (BUR: 91.72%; CON: 92.01%). Moreover, 30% of the daily requirement was achieved with less than 50 g of both recipes in all the considered ages. Finally, a good shelf-life was demonstrated during the 35-day testing period at 30 °C, considering moisture, texture, and lipid oxidation evolution. Recipes like these, with appropriate changes, could be very useful in all contexts where child malnutrition is a serious problem.

Refugee and asylum-seeker children and health problems in the city of Duzce, Türkiye.

INTRODUCTION: This study examines the health problems and healthcare needs of refugee and asylum-seeker children and aims to develop strategies for improvement. METHODS: Based on quantitative data from 448 refugee and asylum-seeker children and 222 non-refugee local children, this study was conducted at Düzce University, Department of Paediatrics, between 2010 and 2021. The refugee children originated from three countries: Iraq (n = 304), Syria (n = 101) and Afghanistan (n = 43). The data were analysed using the SPSS data analysis program. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Düzce Üniversity. RESULTS: The results suggest that refugee and asylum-seeker children have significantly higher rates of acute illness or infection, malnutrition (p < 0.001) and anaemia (p < 0.001) than local children as a result of living in overcrowded families (p = 0.017) and unhealthy conditions. Adolescent pregnancy (p = 0.049) emerges as an important social problem as a result of child marriage among refugee children, mostly in the form of consanguineous marriages (p < 0.001). The rate of having at least two adolescent pregnancies (under 18) was highest among Syrian refugee girls (p = 0.01). Although refugee and asylum-seeker children have higher rates of health insurance (between 74% and 95%), they have lower rates of insurance compared to local children. This research also compares the data from three nationalities, including Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq children; Iraqi and Afghan children under the international protection (IP) system with limited social support and rights had worse health conditions compared to other groups. Although Iraqi children had the highest rates of health insurance on admission (p < 0.001), they also had higher rates of chronic diseases (p = 0.001), infections (p = 0.004), allergic rhinitis (p = 0.001) and malnutrition (p < 0.001). The youngest age of admission (p = 0.006) and the shortest length of stay (p = 0.004) were for Afghan children who also had higher rates of upper respiratory infections (p = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the urgent need for improved screening programmes and the importance of collaborative efforts to address the specific health needs of these populations. Addressing the health status of child refugees is a complex and multifaceted task that requires the active participation of healthcare professionals, policymakers and researchers, each of whom has a crucial role to play.

The Impacts of Task Shifting on the Management and Treatment of Malnourished Children in Northern Kenya: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

Treating children with acute malnutrition can be challenging, particularly regarding access to healthcare facilities during treatment. Task shifting, a strategy of transferring specific tasks to health workers with shorter training and fewer qualifications, is being considered as an effective approach to enhancing health outcomes in primary healthcare. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of integrating the treatment of acute malnutrition by community health volunteers into integrated community case management in two sub-counties in northern Kenya (Loima and Isiolo). We conducted a two-arm non-inferiority cluster-randomized controlled trial across 20 community health units. Participants were children aged 6-59 months with uncomplicated acute malnutrition. In the intervention group, community health volunteers used simplified tools and protocols to identify and treat eligible children at home and provided the usual integrated community case management package. In the control group, community health volunteers provided the usual integrated community case management package only (screening and referral of the malnourished children to the health facilities). The primary outcome was recovery (MUAC ≥12.5 cm for two consecutive weeks). Results show that children in the intervention group were more likely to recover than those in the control group [73 vs. 50; risk difference (RD)=26% (95% CI 12 to 40) and risk ratio (RR)=2 (95% CI 1.2 to 1.9)]. The probability of defaulting was lower in the intervention group than in the control group: RD=-21% (95% CI -31 to -10) and RR=0.3 (95% CI 0.2 to 0.5). The intervention reduced the length of stay by about 13 days, although this was not statistically significant and varied substantially by sub-county. Integrating the treatment of acute malnutrition by community health volunteers into the integrated community case management program led to better malnutrition treatment outcomes. There is a need to integrate acute malnutrition treatment into integrated community case management and review policies to allow community health volunteers to treat uncomplicated acute malnutrition.

Determinants of nutritional status of children aged 6-59 months in the case of Itang special woreda, Gambella, Ethiopia.

Nutritional status is one of the most important causes of improper physical and mental development in children. The study attempts to assess the factors affecting the severity status of children aged 6-59 months' malnutrition based on the weight-for-age anthropometric index (z-score) and examine between-kebeles-level differences in determinants of the nutritional status of children. A community-based, cross-sectional study design was conducted from October 12 to November 12, 2022. A sample of 397 children aged 6-59 months primary data by applying multi-stage clustered sampling technique was used by considering their heterogeneity. The data were entered by SPSS and analyzed by using R version 3.4.0 and STATA 14.2 statistical software package using a multilevel ordinal logistic regression model and inferences were conducted at a 5% significance level. The results show that birth interval ≥ 24 months (OR = 1.431253, 95% CI 1.221337 1.6763421, P-value = 0.008), economic status of households medium (OR = 16.21466, 95% CI 1.221403 1.423929, P-value = 0.000), economic status of households rich (OR = 223.2856, 95% CI 1.34295 2.582325, P-value = 0.000), employment status of the mother unemployed (OR = 0.2291348, 95% CI 0.0529511 0.9966281, P-value = 0.049), No toilet facility (bush field) (OR = 0.3163329, 95% CI 0.1825356 0.5481975, P-value = 0.000), number of household members (OR = 0.9100682, 95% CI 0.8313481 0.9967315, P-value = 0.042), breastfeeding < 12 months (OR = 0.53803, 95% CI 0.322315 0.898135, P-value = 0.018), educational level of father Primary (OR = 4.601687, 95% CI 1.758009 2.22053, P-value = 0.000), educational level of father Secondary above (OR = 99.65229, 95% CI 2.533502 4.788896, P-value = 0.000) and geographical area (kebeles) were found to be important factors that affect a child's nutritional status between 6 and 59 months. 15% of the overall variation is attributable to the Kebeles level, according to two-level multilevel ordinal logistic regressions with estimates of the variation attributable to the Kebeles level equal to 0.569 and an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.15. Due to the nature of the response variable random intercept model with random coefficients fitted the data adequately in predicting the severity status of children aged 6-59 months' malnutrition for the multilevel ordinal logistic regression model analysis. So, the researcher recommended that implementing primary health care and nutrition programs that would fit each kebeles' features in Itang Special Woreda to safeguard children from nutritional deficiency.

Facilitators and barriers to implementing complex community-based interventions for addressing acute malnutrition in low- and lower-middle income countries: A scoping review.

Background: Community-based nutrition interventions have been established as the standard of care for identifying and treating acute malnutrition among children 6-59 months in low- and lower-middle-income countries. However, limited research has examined the factors that influence the implementation of the community-based component of interventions that address severe acute malnutrition and moderate acute malnutrition among children. Aim: The objective of this review was to identify and describe the facilitators and barriers in implementing complex community-based nutrition interventions to address acute malnutrition among children in low- and lower-middle-income countries. Methods: This review used a systematic search strategy to identify existing peer-reviewed literature from three databases on complex community-based interventions (defined as including active surveillance, treatment, and education in community settings) to address severe acute malnutrition and moderate acute malnutrition in children. Results: In total, 1771 sources were retrieved from peer-reviewed databases, with 38 sources included in the review, covering 26 different interventions. Through an iterative deductive and inductive analysis approach, three main domains (household and interpersonal, sociocultural and geographical; operational and administrative) and eight mechanisms were classified, which were central to the successful implementation of complex community-based interventions to address acute child malnutrition. Conclusion: Overall, this review highlights the importance of addressing contextual and geographical challenges to support participant access and program operations. There is a need to critically examine program design and structure to promote intervention adherence and effectiveness. In addition, there is an opportunity to direct resources towards community health workers to facilitate long-term community trust and engagement.

Socioeconomic determinants of early childhood development: evidence from Pakistan.

This study investigates the socioeconomic determinants of early childhood development (ECD) in Pakistan by utilizing the data of sixth wave of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) conducted in the four provinces of the country. The findings of the study reveal that mother's education, father's education, economic status of the household as measured by household's wealth index quintile, region of residence (province), child's gender, disability, nutrition and the practices used by the adult members of the household to discipline child are important determinants of ECD. The study highlights the crucial role of family background and importance of addressing the issue of malnutrition to foster child development.

Knowledge and practices of traditional management of child malnutrition and associated pathologies in Benin.

BACKGROUND: Child malnutrition is a major public health challenge, affecting millions of children worldwide, with alarming proportions of children under five in Benin. The complexity of managing this condition is increased by its potential association with opportunistic pathologies. An interesting approach arises from the use of medicinal plants, to address child malnutrition and its associated pathologies. This study aimed to document the knowledge and practices of Beninese mothers and traditional practitioners with regard to the use of medicinal plants to treat child malnutrition and associated diseases. METHODS: A total of 844 Beninese mothers and 201 traditional healers were surveyed between March 2022 and August 2023 in the communes of Karimama, Bopa and Za-Kpota in Benin. The respondents' knowledge of child malnutrition and associated pathologies was explored. The ethnobotanical data collected from the subjects concerned the medicinal recipes used to treat child malnutrition, the medicinal plants that make them up and the methods of use. These data were analyzed using ethnobotanical indices such as the Informant Consensus Factor, the frequency of citation of medicinal recipes types and medicinal plants, and the contribution of plants to medicinal recipes. RESULTS: All respondents cited a total of 82 plant species used to treat child malnutrition and associated diseases. These plants were grouped into 37 botanical families, the most common of which were Fabaceae, Malvaceae and Annonaceae. The leaves were the most commonly used part of the plant species identified. The mothers shared 122 medicinal recipes, ranging from recipes based on a single plant to more complex compositions involving five plants. The most notable plants were Moringa oleifera Lam, Phyllanthus amarus Schumach & Thonn, Senna siamea (Lam.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby, Carica papaya L. and Ocimum gratissimum L. Traditional healers provided 52 plants in 71 recipes, with Moringa oleifera featuring prominently in both single-plant and multiplant formulations. CONCLUSION: This study made it possible to constitute a rich base of medicinal recipes used against malnutrition and associated pathologies, with the preponderant involvement of certain plant species. It is therefore necessary to deepen research on these different identified species in order to scientifically assess their potential.

Enhancing children's nutrition: the influence of rural household technology under China's home appliances going to the countryside policy.

This study explores the influence of household technological advancements on children's nutritional intake, specifically within the context of the Chinese government's "Home Appliances Going to the Countryside" (HAGC) initiative. Utilizing data from the China Health and Nutrition Surveys of 2006, 2009, and 2011, we employed a Propensity Score Matching Difference-in-Differences (PSM-DID) framework to ascertain the repercussions of enhanced household technology on the dynamics of children's nutritional consumption patterns. Our analysis reveals that the HAGC-inspired integration of household appliances, including color televisions, washing machines, and refrigerators, has beneficially reshaped the nutritional consumption patterns of children, with a pronounced effect among female children. This finding remains consistent even when employing alternate methodological robustness tests. A deeper examination of the HAGC policy's mechanisms underscores the pivotal roles of parental time allocation, improved food storage capabilities, and augmented information accessibility as significant drivers bolstering children's nutritional intake. These insights bear considerable significance for strategizing interventions aimed at elevating the nutritional wellbeing of children in rural settings, offering valuable input for shaping public health policies tailored for such demographies.

Analysis of Malnutrition among Children under Five Years across Contrasting Agroecosystems of Northwest Ethiopia: Application of Structural Equation Modeling.

Child malnutrition remains a public health challenge in developing countries, but a comprehensive understanding of its burden and its determinants in specific local contexts is generally lacking. This study examined the prevalence of malnutrition and its determinants among children aged <5 years across contrasting agroecosystems in northwest Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study involving 400 respondents was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires and anthropometric measurements, complemented with focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The direct and indirect effects of the determinants of malnutrition were examined using structural equation modeling (SEM). The overall prevalence of child malnutrition, measured using the Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure, was 49%, with notable variation across agroecosystems (from 36.1% [midland with red soil] to 59% [lowland and valley fragmented]). Disease experience had significant positive direct effects on malnutrition. Dietary intake had negative and significant total (direct and indirect) effects on malnutrition, partially mediated through disease experience. Serial mediation in SEM analysis revealed significant indirect relationships between malnutrition and food security, feeding and care practices, household environment, health services, maternal diet, maternal empowerment, household wealth, and nutrition-sensitive agricultural practices. In conclusion, child malnutrition was highly prevalent and higher among children in the lowland and valley fragmented agroecosystem, characterized by unfavorable agro-climatic conditions, lower wealth status, poor health services access, and higher disease (particularly malaria) exposure. This study demonstrates the dynamics and multifaceted nature of malnutrition, highlighting the importance of considering geographical differences when planning interventions for childhood malnutrition and its determinants.

Utilization of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and its linkages with undernutrition in India.

The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme has been the central focus of the POSHAN Abhiyaan to combat maternal and child malnutrition under the national nutrition mission in India. This paper examined the linkages between utilization of ICDS and underweight among children aged 6-59 months. The study utilized data from two recent rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4 [2015-2016] and NFHS-5 [2019-2021]). Descriptive analyses were used to assess the change in utilization of ICDS and the prevalence of underweight at the national and state levels. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to examine factors associated with the utilization of ICDS and underweight. Linkages between utilization of ICDS and underweight were examined using the difference-in-differences (DID) approach. Utilization of ICDS increased from 58% in 2015-2016 to 71% in 2019-2021. The prevalence of underweight decreased from 37% to 32% in the same period. Changes in ICDS utilization and underweight prevalence varied considerably across states, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Results from decomposition of DID models suggest that improvements in ICDS explained 9%-12% of the observed reduction in underweight children between 2016 and 2021, suggesting that ICDS made a modest but meaningful contribution in addressing undernutrition among children aged 6-59 months in this period.

Overview of the Indigenous health of the Yanomami ethnic group in Brazil: A Public Health Emergency.

INTRODUCTION: The Indigenous population of the Yanomami ethnic group in Brazil is currently facing a public health emergency due to the high number of deaths, mainly of children. Taking that into consideration, this study aims to analyze this crisis impact on the health of this population in the period between 2018 and 2022. METHODS: The data presented were collected from the report called Yanomami Mission ("Missão Yanomami") published by the Brazilian Ministry of Health and, from it, a descriptive analysis of the Indigenous individuals' health was carried out for (i) the geographical distribution; ii) the number of deaths; (iii) the child death rate; (iv) the deaths of Indigenous individuals from preventable causes; (v) the causes of preventable diseases related to hygiene and basic sanitation, and the distribution of diarrheal diseases according to age groups; (vi) evaluation of the nutritional classification; vii) the percentage (%) of the complete vaccination scheme, and (viii) the coverage of prenatal appointments of Indigenous pregnant women. RESULTS: The report included 31,017 individuals belonging to the Yanomami ethnic group, most of the participants were up to 39 years old (N = 26,377; 85.0%) and men (N = 15,836; 51.1%). During the period described in the report, the number of deaths reached 1285/31,017 (4.1%). When analyzing the deaths, the most representative age groups were those of children under 1 year old (505/1285; 39.9%), from 1 to 4 years old (178/1285; 13.8%), and the elderly from 60 to 79 years old (150/1285; 11.6%). The Indigenous individuals from this ethnic group presented a child death rate ~ 1.5 to 3.5 higher than that of the total Indigenous population in the country. Regarding the child death rate, the neonatal component represented 57.8% of the deaths and, in 2022, 93.0% of the pregnant women had less than six prenatal appointments. This population shows a high number of deaths due to preventable causes (N = 538) and cases of illnesses associated with hygiene and sanitation, for example (N = 35,103 cases/notifications). As for vaccination, the full vaccination scheme targeting children below 5 years old has not been met since 2018. CONCLUSION: In the Indigenous population of the Yanomami ethnic group, a high number of deaths was observed, which affected mainly individuals under 1 year old. Among the factors associated with the deaths, mainly in children under 5 years old, most cases have preventable causes, which could be reduced by proper action promoting their health and preventing diseases.

Effects of short birth interval on child malnutrition in the Asia-Pacific region: Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Child malnutrition remains a significant concern in the Asia-Pacific region, with short birth intervals recognised as a potential risk factor. However, evidence of this association is inconclusive. This study aimed to systematically review the existing evidence and assess the summary effects of short birth interval on child malnutrition in the Asia-Pacific region. Five electronic databases were searched in May 2023 to identify relevant studies reporting the association between short birth interval and child malnutrition, including stunting, wasting, underweight, anaemia and overall malnutrition, in Asia-Pacific region between September 2000 and May 2023. Fixed-effects or random-effects meta-analysis was performed to estimate the summary effects of short birth interval on child malnutrition. Out of 56 studies meeting the inclusion criteria, 48 were included in quantitative synthesis through meta-analysis. We found a slightly higher likelihood of stunting (n = 25, odds ratio [OR] = 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.97-1.32) and overall malnutrition (n = 3, OR = 2.42; 95% CI: 0.88-6.65) among children born in short birth intervals compared to those with nonshort intervals, although the effect was not statistically significant. However, caution is warranted due to identified heterogeneity across studies. Subgroup analysis demonstrated significant effects of short birth intervals on child malnutrition in national-level studies and studies with larger sample sizes. These findings underscore short birth intervals as a significant contributor to child malnutrition in the Asia-Pacific region. Implementing effective policies and programs is vital to alleviate this burden, ultimately reducing child malnutrition and associated adverse outcomes, including child mortality.

Fallo de medro en Pediatría de Atención Primaria: recomendaciones para su abordaje y seguimiento / Failure to Thrive in Primary Care pediatrics: recommendations for its approach and follow-up

El fallo de medro representa la dificultad para mantener un ritmo de crecimiento adecuado, tanto en peso como en talla, en menores de tres años. Se trata de una entidad actualmente infradiagnosticada que puede repercutir en el desarrollo físico, intelectual, emocional y social de los niños. El pediatra de Atención Primaria es clave en la identificación precoz y en la prevención de su morbilidad. Este documento representa una herramienta útil para el desarrollo de la labor conjunta del pediatra y la enfermería pediátrica, realizando una intervención precoz, individualizada y eficiente en estos niños. (AU)

Failure to thrive is poor physical growth, both in weight and height, in children under three years of age. This underdiagnosed entity can affect children’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social development. Paediatric Primary Care is crucial in early diagnosis and prevention of their morbidity. This document represents a useful tool for the teamwork between paediatricians and paediatric nursing. Its objective is to carry out an early, individualized and efficient approach in these children. (AU)

Social determinants of child malnutrition outcomes: Evidence from CHNS in China.

China is committed to reduce child malnutrition outcomes (CMO) rates to less than 5 % by 2030 in order to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). Yet, this is still an enormous challenge for China, particularly in disadvantaged areas, due to regional and urban-rural disparities. Using China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) data from 1991 to 2015 and fixed-effect models, this study investigates the social determinants of stunting (n = 4012) measured by height-for-age z score (HAZ) and wasting (n = 4229) measured by weight-for-height z score (WHZ) in children under the age of five. According to the empirical findings, the significant social determinants of child stunting encompassed whether the child is insured (p < 0.01), maternal education level (primary school (p < 0.01) low middle school (p < 0.01); vocational school (p < 0.01)), maternal employment status (p < 0.05), mother's average working days (p < 0.05), average household per capita income (p < 0.01), household asset index (p < 0.01), urbanization index living in a community (medium (p < 0.05); higher (p < 0.01); highest (p < 0.01)) and living regions (west (p < 0.01); northeast (p < 0.05)). Children's maternal employment status (p < 0.05), mother's average working days (p < 0.05), living areas (p < 0.05) and living regions (central (p < 0.01); west (p < 0.01); north-east (p < 0.05)) are the significant factors impacting child wasting. Furthermore, the interaction impact between maternal employment and have one additional working day per week is positive. To attain SDGs, the Chinese government should priorities lowering stunting and wasting among 5-year-olds in the western region, particularly in impoverished regions. Also, it is possible to develop tailored policies for the growth and development of children under the age of five by addressing pertinent socio-economic factors.

Presupuesto público en salud y sus efectos en la desnutrición crónica infantil. El caso peruano / Public health budget and its effects on chronic child malnutrition. The Peruvian case / Orçamento da saúde pública e seus efeitos sobre a desnutrição infantil crônica. O caso peruano

En la actualidad, aunque las tasas de malnutrición que afectan a los pueblos indígenas y a las zonas de bajos ingresos han disminuido en un 33,8%, América Latina sigue registrando niveles alarmantes de malnutrición, especialmente a nivel infantil. En el caso de Perú en particular, urge estudiar el impacto del presupuesto sanitario en la dinámica de la desnutrición infantil. Objetivo. Analizar la incidencia del presupuesto de salud pública en la reducción de la desnutrición infantil en Perú durante las dos últimas décadas. Metodología. Revisión narrativa acerca del impacto de los presupuestos de salud pública en la desnutrición. Dentro de busqueda se consideraron bases de datos como Scopus, Web of Science, Scielo, Redalyc, Latindex y Google Scholar desde el 2019 a 2023. Considerando con ecuación health budget" OR "chronic child malnutrition", "government spending" con la función booleana AND como parámetros de búsqueda para el campo "topic" para encontrar documentos que también trataran sobre "malnutrition" OR "chronic child malnutrition" OR "child malnutrition". Resultados. Se identificaron 57 fuente, se excluyeron 4 artículos por duplicidad y 37 por falta de información, dando como resultando un total de 16 artículos a considerar en este análisis. Conclusión. Se puede concluir que existe una relación significativa entre el aumento del presupuesto público en salud y la disminución de la desnutrición infantil a nivel nacional. La literatura existente destaca que a medida que se incrementa la asignación presupuestaria en el ámbito de la salud, se observa una reducción correspondiente en las tasas de desnutrición.

Currently, although malnutrition rates affecting indigenous peoples and low-income areas have decreased by 33.8%, Latin America continues to register alarming levels of malnutrition, especially at the child level. In the case of Peru in particular, there is an urgent need to study the impact of the health budget on the dynamics of child malnutrition. Objective. To analyze the impact of the public health budget on the reduction of child malnutrition in Peru during the last two decades. Methodology. Narrative review of the impact of public health budgets on malnutrition. Within the search, databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, Scielo, Redalyc, Latindex and Google Scholar from 2019 to 2023 were considered. Considering with equation health budget" OR "chronic child malnutrition", "government spending" with the Boolean function AND as search parameters for the field "topic" to find documents that also dealt with "malnutrition" OR "chronic child malnutrition" OR "child malnutrition". Results. Fifty-seven sources were identified, 4 articles were excluded due to duplicity and 37 due to lack of information, resulting in a total of 16 articles to be considered in this analysis. Conclusion. It can be concluded that there is a significant relationship between the increase in the public health budget and the decrease in child malnutrition at the national level. The existing literature highlights that as the health budget allocation increases, a corresponding reduction in malnutrition rates is observed.

Atualmente, embora as taxas de desnutrição que afetam os povos indígenas e as áreas de baixa renda tenham diminuído em 33,8%, a América Latina continua a registrar níveis alarmantes de desnutrição, especialmente no nível infantil. No caso do Peru, em particular, há uma necessidade urgente de estudar o impacto do orçamento da saúde na dinâmica da desnutrição infantil. Objetivo. Analisar o impacto do orçamento da saúde pública na redução da desnutrição infantil no Peru nas últimas duas décadas. Metodologia. Revisão narrativa do impacto dos orçamentos públicos de saúde sobre a desnutrição. Bases de dados como Scopus, Web of Science, Scielo, Redalyc, Latindex e Google Scholar de 2019 a 2023 foram consideradas na pesquisa. Considerando com equação "health budget" OR "chronic child malnutrition", "government spending" com a função booleana AND como parâmetros de pesquisa para o campo "topic" para encontrar documentos que também tratassem de "malnutrition" OR "chronic child malnutrition" OR "child malnutrition". Resultados. Foram identificadas 57 fontes, 4 artigos foram excluídos devido à duplicação e 37 devido à falta de informações, resultando em um total de 16 artigos a serem considerados nesta análise. Conclusão. Pode-se concluir que existe uma relação significativa entre o aumento do orçamento da saúde pública e a redução da desnutrição infantil em nível nacional. A literatura existente destaca que, à medida que a alocação do orçamento de saúde aumenta, observa-se uma redução correspondente nas taxas de desnutrição.

The Concepts of Women's Empowerment in Child Malnutrition Programs in Luangprabang Province, Lao People's Democratic Republic.

In several developing countries, such as Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), the fight against malnutrition is carried out through programs that involve collaboration between internal (national) and external (international) actors. These actors may have different perceptions on what is one of the pillars of these programs: the empowerment of women, especially mothers of young children. Little is known about these differences and the impact of these differences on the empowerment component of collaborative projects and the perception of its impact on the reduction in malnutrition in the country. A multiple case study was performed. Data collection was carried out in Vientiane Capital and Luangprabang province. The data were obtained from (1) documents, (2) semi-structured interviews with representatives of internal and external organizations, and (3) focus group discussions and individual interviews with mothers of children under five years old. Analysis consisted of characterizing the empowerment component of nutrition programs of internal and external organizations, as well as mothers, based on an OXFAM's adapted conceptual framework on women's economic empowerment. The study revealed a common understanding among government and external organizations regarding the significance of promoting women's empowerment for reducing child malnutrition in Lao PDR. However, variations were observed in the interpretation of specific determinants of women's empowerment, specifically in relation to women's autonomy and the role of social capital. The perspective of internal actors includes the political ideology and traditions that make Lao PDR a distinct country. This perspective dominates the nutrition programs conducted under the collaboration of internal and external actors. In Lao PDR, the concept of women's empowerment in nutrition programs conducted through collaboration between internal and external actors and targeting young Lao mothers gives prominence to political and socio-cultural factors.

Sociodemographic factors associated with concurrent stunting and wasting among children experiencing extreme poverty in the Philippines: A cross-sectional study.

Background: The coexistence of stunting and wasting in a child increases the risk of mortality and requires more intensive treatment and care. However, there is limited research on the burden of concurrent stunting and wasting among children and the socioeconomic factors that are correlated with having both conditions. Aim: To understand the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of stunting, wasting, and concurrent stunting and wasting among a sample of children ages 6-144 months experiencing poverty in the Philippines. Methods: Cross-sectional data were drawn from nutrition screening and sociodemographic surveys conducted by International Care Ministries in 2018-2019. Descriptive statistics were calculated to determine the prevalence of stunting, wasting, and concurrent stunting and wasting. Multilevel logistic regression modelling was conducted to understand the sociodemographic factors that were associated with stunting and wasting. Results: Among the 3005 children in this sample, the prevalence of stunting, wasting, and concurrent stunting and wasting was 49.9%, 9.3%, and 4.6%, respectively. Children experiencing concurrent stunting and wasting lived in households in lower wealth index quintiles, had a household head with fewer years of education, and were more likely to experience food insecurity compared to children who were not stunted or wasted. The education of the household head, the number of household members, and the wealth of the household were correlated with stunting across age groups, while food insecurity was correlated with wasting among younger children. Conclusion: The presence of concurrent stunting and wasting among children provides the impetus to integrate both conditions into nutrition monitoring, prevention, and treatment interventions.

Methodological choices for an economic evaluation of a combined psychosocial and nutrition treatment intervention for children with severe acute malnutrition: The FUSAM trial in Nepal.

As a public health burden, severe acute malnutrition (SAM) among children has been increasingly studied to determine the optimal combination of treatment approaches. Among the new approaches is the addition of early childhood development sessions to standard nutrition-based treatment for SAM which can enhance both nutrition and development outcomes among young children. However, few studies demonstrate the relationship between the costs of such combined programs and the benefits accrued to the children and their caregivers. This article describes our experience of designing and conducting an economic evaluation alongside a cluster randomized controlled trial assessing a combined nutrition and psychosocial intervention for the treatment of SAM in children aged 6-24 months in Nepal. We present key lessons learned regarding methodological choices, the challenges of field data collection, as well as study adjustment when data analysis did not unfold as anticipated. With the view to transparency, this manuscript provides some clarifications on the evaluation processes for funders and policy makers on what economic evaluations entail and what information they convey for the purpose of supporting policy decision-making around limited resource allocation.

Identification of potential biomarkers in malnutrition children with severity by 1H-NMR-based metabolomics: a preliminary study in the Chinese population.

PURPOSE: Child malnutrition is a global public health problem, but the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms with severity remain poorly understood, and the potential biomarkers served to the clinical diagnosis are still not available. This study aimed to identify the serum metabolic characteristics of malnourished children with severity. METHODS: Fasted overnight serum samples were collected following clinical standard procedures among 275 malnourished and 199 healthy children from the Women and Children's Hospital, Xiamen University Child Health Department from July 2020 to May 2022. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics strategy was applied to identify the potential serum biomarkers of malnutrition from 275 malnourished children aged 4 to 84 months with mild (Mil, 199 cases), moderate (Mod, 101 cases), and severe (Sev, 7 cases) malnutrition. RESULTS: Ten, fifteen, and fifteen differential metabolites were identified from the Mil, Mod, and Sev malnutrition groups, respectively. Eight common metabolites, including increased acetoacetate, acetone, ethanol, succinate, 3-hydroxybutyrate, and decreased alanine, methionine, and N-acetyl-glycoprotein, could be the potential biomarkers for malnourished children. The altered metabolic pathways were mainly related to energy metabolism and amino acid metabolism via the network-based pathway enrichment. CONCLUSION: Eight potential biomarkers, including acetoacetate, acetone, ethanol, succinate, 3-hydroxybutyrate, alanine, methionine, and N-acetyl-glycoprotein, could characterize the child malnutrition. Child malnutrition-induced abnormal energy metabolism, impaired nutrition utilization and the reduced nutrient availability, and more metabolic disturbance will appear with the severity. Our results are valuable for further studies on the etiology and pathogenesis of malnutrition for clinical intervention and improvement.