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Severe primary malnutrition in US children
Insights
Severe protein-calorie malnutrition affects infants in the US, with affected children showing failure to thrive. Early nutritional evaluation and reporting are crucial for these cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Severe primary protein-calorie malnutrition is a critical health concern in infants.
- Failure to thrive in young children necessitates thorough investigation into nutritional status.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of severe primary protein-calorie malnutrition in infants admitted to a pediatric hospital.
- To highlight the need for improved nutritional assessment and reporting of malnutrition in the United States.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of 16 infants (≤18 months) diagnosed with severe primary protein-calorie malnutrition.
- Analysis of patient demographics, nutritional status (Wellcome Trust criteria), and hospital stay duration.
Main Results:
- All patients were significantly below the fifth percentile for weight for length.
- Rapid growth was observed upon nutritional rehabilitation in the hospital.
- A notable proportion were from teenage pregnancies and relied on public aid.
Conclusions:
- Severe primary protein-calorie malnutrition is present in the United States.
- Comprehensive nutritional evaluation is essential for children experiencing failure to thrive.
- Malnutrition should be considered a reportable condition to improve public health surveillance.
Abstract:
We studied 16 children aged 18 months or less who had severe primary protein-calorie malnutrition. All were admitted to one urban pediatric teaching hospital for treatment of failure to thrive between Jan 1, 1980, and Aug 30, 1984. The definitions of malnutrition were based on those of the Wellcome Trust. The patients had no evidence of medical causes for their conditions and grew rapidly when they were refed in the hospital. Eight were products of teenage pregnancies. Eleven patients were receiving public aid, and four had no third-party coverage. All were markedly below the fifth percentile in weight for length; their mean percentage of expected weight for age was 0.55. The mean hospital stay was 18.5 days. Severe primary protein-calorie malnutrition does exist in the United States. Thorough nutritional evaluation in children with failure to thrive is indicated, and malnutrition should be a reportable condition in the United States.