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Children treated for severe acute malnutrition experience a rapid increase in physical activity a few days after
Daniel Faurholt-Jepsen1, Kristina Beck Hansen1, Vincent T van Hees2
1Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Insights
Physical activity in children with severe acute malnutrition is low but improves rapidly during recovery. Accelerometry can effectively track this improvement during rehabilitation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) significantly impacts child development and health.
- Understanding physical activity levels is crucial for monitoring recovery in SAM.
- Limited data exists on physical activity dynamics during SAM rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify physical activity levels in children with SAM at admission.
- To assess changes in physical activity during the recovery phase of malnutrition.
- To evaluate accelerometry as a tool for monitoring rehabilitation progress.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of Ethiopian children with SAM was studied.
- Physical activity was measured using accelerometry over 24-hour periods.
- Measurements were taken at admission and after 10 days of rehabilitation.
Main Results:
- Children with SAM exhibited very low physical activity at baseline.
- Significant increases in both wrist and hip activity were observed after 10 days of rehabilitation.
- Wrist activity more than doubled, and hip activity increased by 38% during the study period.
Conclusions:
- Physical activity in children with SAM is severely limited but shows rapid improvement with nutritional rehabilitation.
- Accelerometry is a viable method for objectively assessing physical activity changes during recovery.
- This technology can serve as an early indicator of treatment effectiveness in SAM.
Objective:
To assess physical activity at admission and during recovery from severe acute malnutrition.
Study Design:
Ethiopian children who were admitted with severe acute malnutrition received a clinical examination each week to monitor their recovery during rehabilitation. Using accelerometry (24 h/d for 5 consecutive days) at admission and again after 10 days of rehabilitation, we assessed the level and changes of physical activity.
Results:
Among 13 children included, the mean (SD) age was 31.1 months (15.5). At baseline, the day-night activity difference was relatively small, whereas the level of activity had substantially increased at follow-up. The diurnal mean acceleration level was significantly greater at follow-up for wrist (1158.8 vs 541.4 counts per minute, P = .003) but not hip movements (204.1 vs 141.5, P = .261). During daytime (6 a.m. to 10 p.m.), hip activity increased by 38% from baseline to follow-up (e(B) 1.38, 95% CI 1.17-1.62), and wrist activity more than doubled (e(B) 2.50, 95% CI 2.17-2.87).
Conclusion:
The level of physical activity among children with severe acute malnutrition is very low but increases rapidly during recovery. Accelerometry may be a useful approach in the recovery phase as an indicator of early improvement.
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