Abstract
BackgroundSevere acute malnutrition (SAM) has been associated with low polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) status. However, investigations regarding PUFA status and correlates in children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) from low-income countries are scarce. The aim of this study was to describe whole-blood PUFA levels in children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and to identify correlates of PUFAs.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study using baseline data from a prospective nutritional intervention trial among 1609 children with MAM aged 6–23 months in Burkina Faso,West Africa. Whole-blood PUFAs were measured by gas chromatography and expressed as percent of total whole-blood fatty acids (FA%). Potential correlates of PUFAs including infection, inflammation, hemoglobin, anthropometry (difference between children diagnosed as having MAM based on low mid-upper-arm-circumference (MUAC) only, low MUAC and weight-for-height z-score (WHZ), or low WHZ only) and diet were assessed by linear regression adjusted for age and sex.ResultsChildren with MAM had low concentrations of whole-blood PUFAs, particularly n-3 PUFAs. Moreover, children diagnosed with MAM based only on low MUAC had 0.32 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.14; 0.50) and 0.40 (95% CI, 0.16; 0.63) FA% lower arachidonic acid (AA) than those recruited based on both low WHZ as well as low MUAC and those recruited with low WHZ only, respectively. Infection and inflammation were associated with low levels of all long-chain (LC)-PUFAs, while hemoglobin was positively associated with whole-blood LC-PUFAs.ConclusionWhile PUFA deficiency was not a general problem, overall whole-blood PUFA concentrations, especially of n-3 PUFAs, were low. Infection, inflammation, hemoglobin, anthropometry and diet were correlates of PUFAs concentrations in children with MAM.Trial registrationThe trial is registered at http://www.isrctn.com (ISRCTN42569496).
Highlights
33 million children worldwide suffer from moderate wasting [1]
Tissue concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) are reflected in the fatty acid composition of plasma and erythrocytes and the amount of various PUFAs in these pools has been shown to be low in children with severe malnutrition [7, 8]
No study was found that investigated fatty acids in children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) based on the above definition and compared the fatty acid composition in whole-blood between children diagnosed with MAM based on low mid-upperarm circumference (MUAC) only, low MUAC and weight-for-height z-score (WHZ), or low WHZ only
Summary
33 million children worldwide suffer from moderate wasting [1]. The current case definition of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) includes children with moderate wasting, defined as a weight-for-height z-score (WHZ) between -2 and -3, based on the 2006 WHO growth standard [2], and/or children with a mid-upperarm circumference (MUAC) between 115 and 125 mm [3]. The fatty acid composition in plasma or red blood cells from children with moderate malnutrition has only been investigated in two studies with small samples sizes [7, 10]. In these studies included children with moderate stunting and/or underweight rather than wasting and used different growth references rather than the current WHO growth standards from 2006 [2]. Investigations regarding PUFA status and correlates in children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) from low-income countries are scarce. The aim of this study was to describe whole-blood PUFA levels in children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and to identify correlates of PUFAs
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
