Change in body composition of young Malian children with moderate acute malnutrition over a 12 week dietary intervention

Background Body composition assessment may provide value over weight gain alone in evaluating recovery from acute malnutrition (AM) and may help inform optimal treatment modalities. Objective To assess the body composition of Malian children aged 6–35 mo with non‐edematous moderate AM (MAM) according to different MAM diagnostic criteria and to evaluate changes over dietary treatment. Methods Bioelectric impedance analysis was used to assess body composition of the first 171 children enrolled in a trial that provided 500 kcal/d for 12 wks. Results At baseline, the mean age, weight, length, mid‐upper arm circumference (MUAC), weight‐for‐length Z (WLZ), total body water (TBW), fat free mass (FFM), fat mass (FM), and %FM was 14.4 mo, 6.90 kg, 70.9 cm, 121 mm, −2.46, 3.91 L, 4.74 kg, 1.92 kg, and 27.7%, respectively. After adjusting for age there were no differences in TBW, FFM, FM or %FM between children diagnosed based on a WLZ <−2, MUAC < 125 mm, or both. At 12 weeks, weight, WLZ, MUAC, TBW, FFM, and FM had increased (p<0.05) by 0.92 kg, 0.79, 6.3 mm, 0.59 L, 0.74 kg, and 0.19 kg, respectively, but %FM had not changed. The gain in FM, but not FFM or %FM was greater among recovered vs. non‐recovered children. Conclusions These results provide insight into the type of tissue accrued over treatment and may help guide recommendations for nutritionally appropriate products to treat MAM. Funded by UNICEF and Helen Keller International Grant Funding Source : NICHD