A statement from Umesh Kapil (Professor Public Health Nutrition) and Prof. H.P.S. Sachdev (Department of Pediatrics and Clinical Epidemiology, Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research), Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in children is recognized as a major underlying cause of death amongst under-five children. These deaths are preventable provided timely and appropriate actions are taken.
According to National Family Health Survey-III, conducted during 2005-2006 in India, 6.4% of children below 60 months of age were suffering from this malady (weight-for-height less than –3SD). With the current estimated total population of India as 1100 million, it is expected that there would be about 132 million under-five children and amongst these about 6.4% or 8.1 million are likely to be suffering from SAM.
With the emergence of home based management approach for SAM children, which includes the use of Therapeutic Nutrition (TN) as part of Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT), it is possible to address this issue in a cost-effective manner. More than 85 % of total SAM cases are without medical complications and can be identified through active case finding in community to be successfully managed at the home level. Global evidence suggests that with integrated management of SAM children, case fatality rates can be reduced to less than 5 percent. Short-term therapeutic nutrition for 6-8 weeks is an integral component of home-based management of SAM. There is an urgent need to develop an indigenous preparation of therapeutic nutrition in the country and operationalize the community management of SAM.
This special issue was published in view of the importance of this subject
Details of titles within this issue are outlined below
Management of Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition: A National Priority – Umesh Kapil and HPS Sachdev Downdload pdf
Editorial
Therapeutic Nutrition for Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition: Summary of African Experience – André Briend and Steve Collins Download pdf
Guidelines
Consensus Statement: National Consensus Workshop on Management of SAM Children through Medical Nutrition Therapy – Writing Committee: HPS Sachdev, Umesh Kapil and Sheila Vir Download pdf
Review Article
Evolution of Nutritional Management of Acute Malnutrition–
Michael H Golden Download pdf
Research Papers
Locally Made Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food for Treatment of Malnutrition: A Randomized Controlled Trial–Azara Sneha Singh, Gagandeep Kang, Anup Ramachandran, Rajiv Sarkar, Pearline Peter and Anuradha Bose Download pdf
Hospital Based Nutrition Rehabilitation of Severely Undernourished Children Using Energy Dense Local Foods – Raja Sriswan Mamidi, Bharati Kulkarni, KV Radhakrishna and Veena Shatrugna Download pdf
Home-based Rehabilitation of Severely Malnourished Children in Resource Poor Setting – Deepak Patel, Piyush Gupta, Dheeraj Shah and Kamlesh Sethi Download pdf
Focus
Production and Distribution of a Therapeutic Nutritional Product for Severe Acute Malnutrition in India: Opportunities and Challenges – KN Beesabathuni and UCM Natchu Download pdf
Efficacy and Safety of Therapeutic Nutrition Products for Home Based Therapeutic Nutrition for Severe Acute Malnutrition: A Systematic Review – Tarun Gera Download pdf