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Follow-up study of survivors of severe protein energy manlnutrition
C R Banapurmath1, S M Prasad, S Banapurmath
1Nutrition Rehabilitation Center, Department of Pediatrics, J.J.M. Medical College, Davangere 577 004, Karnataka, India.
Insights
Nutritional rehabilitation significantly improves weight for age in children recovering from severe protein energy malnutrition. Rehabilitated children showed better nutritional status than their siblings, though height improvements were more challenging.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Malnutrition Recovery
- Growth Monitoring
Background:
- Severe protein energy malnutrition (PEM) poses long-term health risks.
- Nutritional rehabilitation is crucial for recovery.
- Long-term follow-up data on nutritional profiles are essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the nutritional status of children who survived severe PEM.
- To compare nutritional outcomes at 1-3 years and 5-7 years post-discharge.
- To evaluate the long-term impact of nutritional rehabilitation.
Main Methods:
- Prospective and cross-sectional study design.
- Two groups of children (n=50 each) discharged from rehabilitation centers at different time points (1-3 years vs. 5-7 years).
- Comparison with a control group of siblings (n=35) without prior malnutrition.
Main Results:
- All malnourished children demonstrated significant weight-for-age improvement.
- Children with longer follow-up (5-7 years) showed a trend towards better height-for-age.
- Malnourished children, post-rehabilitation, exhibited superior nutritional status compared to their siblings.
Conclusions:
- Nutritional rehabilitation leads to substantial improvements in overall nutritional status.
- Achieving optimal height-for-age remains a challenge post-malnutrition.
- Long-term follow-up reveals sustained benefits of rehabilitation, even surpassing sibling controls.
Objective:
To evaluate the nutritional profile of survivors of severe protein energy malnutrition on follow-up at 1-3 years and 5-7 years.
Design:
Prospective and Cross-sectional point prevalence.
Methods:
Group I comprised 50 severely malnourished children dischared 5-7 years from nutritional rehabilitation center and Group II comprised 50 children discharged 1-3 years ago. The nutritional status of these 100 children was compared to the nutritional status of 35 siblings who had not suffered from severe malnutrition in their earlier life (Group III).
Results:
All the malnourished children showed significant improvement in weight for age. More children in Group I had better height for age compared to Group II(p>0.05). Analysis of weight for height showed that study children has better nutritional status than their siblings who had not suffered from significant malnutrition.
Conclusion:
Significant improvement in nutritional status occurs with nutritional rehabilitation. However, improvement in height for age is more difficult to obtain. Interestingly, rehabilitated malnourished children on follow up had better nutritional status as compared to their siblings.