Asian Journal of Food Research and Nutrition

Factors Affecting Nutritional Status of Inpatient and Outpatient Treatments of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM)

Mohamed E. O. Elsayed *

Faculty of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Kordofan, Elobied, Sudan.

Alwia A. A. Hamed

Faculty of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Kordofan, Elobied, Sudan.

Ahmed M. El Naim

Faculty of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Kordofan, Elobied, Sudan.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

---

Abstract

The study was conducted at the Centre of Nutrition in Elobeid Specialized Paediatric Hospital, Elobied, Sheikan Locality, North Kordofan State, Sudan. It aimed at evaluating the effect of some factors on nutritional status of under-five children (6-59 months) inpatients and outpatients therapeutic treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Eighty children were randomly selected from population size of 180 children where 40 children were treated inpatient by therapeutic milk (F100 and F75) and the other 40 children were treated outpatient by therapeutic foods (ready to use therapeutic foods, RUTF). Data was collected using questionnaire and observations. The data was analysed via the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) program version 16. The study results showed that 57.5% of inpatients’ respondents and 75% of outpatients’ ones were weaned before reaching 24 months. Concerning inpatients and outpatients respondents, the reasons for early weaning were mothers’ new pregnancy (48%) and (80%), mothers’ illness (30%) and (20%) besides mothers’ milk refusal (22%) and (0%). The study findings reported that inpatients and outpatients respondents used for feeding cup (82.5%) and (65%) also bottle (17.5%) and (65%), respectively, 80% of either inpatients’ or outpatients’ respondents ate their meals by themselves. The study results reported that 35 and 5% of the inpatients’ and outpatients’ respondents did not eat eggs. Moreover, the reasons of omission of eating eggs by inpatients’ and outpatients’ respondents were 71.4 and 50%, respectively referred to social tradition plus 28.6 and 50%, respectively due to children refusal. Drinking of goats’ milk preferred by 30 and 7.5% of inpatients and outpatients’ respondents. Regarding inpatient and outpatient respondents’, the study findings reported that 50 and 45% of them faced difficulties in the ability for food ingestion during their treatment, respectively. The reason behind that, was the lack of desire in eating food because of disease according to all respondents viewpoint. It can be concluded that the above studied factors could affect the nutritional status of the children divergently. The study recommended that raising mothers’ awareness about malnutrition causes, providing training opportunities for most vulnerable families, increasing nutrition services and additional centres for inpatient treatment should be considered.

Keywords: Malnutrition, inpatient, outpatient, treatment, therapeutic milk, therapeutic foods

---

---

---

References

WHO. Global Database on Child Growth and Malnutrition; 2012.

Available:http://www.who.int/nutgrowthdb/about/ introduction /en/index .html)

(November, 5, 2018) 2:15 pm

Latham MC. Human Nutrition in the Developing World. Vol 29. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN; 1997.

Available:http://www.fao.org/docrep/w0073 e/w0073e00 .him>. Visited on 12th April, 2018).

WHO. Global prevalence of vitamin a Deficiency in Populations at Risk. 2009: 88-90.

Duggan MB. Prevention of childhood malnutrition: Immensity of the challenge and variety of strategies. 2014;271-278.

DOI:10.1179/2046905514Y.0000000139

UNICEF. A joint effort to reach Mali’s Malnourished Children; 2015.

Available:<http://www.unicef.org/emergencies/mali_73505.html>. Accessed 11th, March, 2018. United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition. Module 6 Measuring Malnutrition. Individual Assessment; 2011.

Zoysa ID, Rea M, Martines J. Why promote breastfeeding in diarrhea disease control programs Health Policy Plan. 1991;371-379.

Grantham Mc. Gregor S, Cheung YB, Cueto S, Glewwe P, Richter L, Strupp B. Developmental potential in the first 5 years for children in developing countriesl; 2007.

WHO and UNICEF. (Informal Consultation on Community Based Management of Severe Malnutrition in Children. Tokyo: The United Nations University; 2006.

Available:http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/severemalnutrition/FNB>

WHO and UNICEF. Nutritional Statistics and Recipe Instructions. 2013;106-108

Balal MA, Ahmed M, Dafalla M. Development of logarithmic equations for statistical sample determination. Journal of empirical studies, consientia Beam. 2014;1(1):23.

Babatunde RO, Olagunju FI, Sola‑Ojo FE, Fakayode SB. Prevalence and determinants of malnutrition among under five children of farming households in Kwara State, Nigeria. J Agric Sci. 2011;173-181.