Assessment of Clinical Outcome in Children with Severe Thinness on Medical Nutrition Therapy at 8 Weeks and 6 Months
Dr Vishal D. Sawant1
, Dr Varun Viswanathan2*, Dr Alka Jadhav2, Dr Madhubala Jadhav2, Dr Swathi Krishna2 and Dr Bhagyashree Sawardekar2
1Department of Pediatrics, TNMC and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai, India.
2Department of Pediatrics, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital, Mumbai, India.
Corresponding Author Email: varun2201@gmail.com
Abstract:
The term malnutrition involves both over nutrition, accompanying with overweight, obesity, and under-nutrition including acute and chronic malnutrition as well as micronutrient deficiencies. The present study was undertaken to assess clinical outcome at 8 weeks and 6 months in children with Severe Thinness on Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT). A total of 52 severe thinness (ST) children were enrolled and given MNT. The anthropometry was recorded at every visit and analyzed at two time points viz.8 weeks and 6 months. The body mass index has been measured using formula: weight (kg)/height(metre)2. Mean weight on enrolment was 15.85±4.08 kg. At 8 weeks, mean weight was 17.35±4.55 kg and at 6 months it was 19.33±5.12 kg. Mean height on enrolment was 114.33±14.06 cm while at 8 weeks was 115.27±14.06 cm and at 6 months was 120.21±15.29 cm. Mean BMI on enrolment was 11.92±0.44kg/m2 while at 8 weeks it improved to 12.89±0.67kg/m2; at 6 months, it continued improved to 13.26±0.96kg/m2. Rate of weight gain from enrolment to 8 weeks was 1.67 grams/kg/day and from 8 weeks to 6 months was 0.36 gm/kg/day (P<0.001). At end of 8 weeks, in 73.33% subjects BMI improved to thin and 17.8% became normal while 8.9 % continued to remain ST. At 6 months, 22.22% remained ST, 33.33% subjects remained thin and 44.44% became normal. Improvement in mean weight and mean BMI as well as rate of weight gain was significant indicating the role of indigenously prepared MNT in improving acute malnutrition.
Keywords:
Anthropometry; Body Mass Index; Medical Nutrition Therapy; Ready to use Therapeutic Food; Severe Thinness
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