INCIDENCE OF, AND RISK FACTORS FOR, MALNUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN AGED 5-7 YEARS IN SOUTH INDIA

New Perspectives on the Associations between Blood Fatty Acids, Growth Parameters, and Cognitive Development in Global Child Populations

Malnutrition is prevalent in low-middle-income countries (LMICs), but it is usually clinically diagnosed through abnormal anthropometric parameters characteristic of protein energy malnutrition (PEM). In doing so, other contributors or byproducts of malnutrition, notably essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD), are overlooked. Previous research performed mainly in high-income countries (HICs) shows that deficiencies in essential fatty acids (EFAs) and their n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) byproducts (also known as highly unsaturated fatty acids or HUFAs) lead to both abnormal linear growth and impaired cognitive development. These adverse developmental outcomes remain an important public health issue in LMICs. To identify EFAD before severe malnutrition develops, clinicians should perform blood fatty acid panels to measure levels of fatty acids associated with EFAD, notably Mead acid and HUFAs. This review demonstrates the importance of measuring endogenous fatty acid levels for measuring fatty acid intake in various child populations in LMICs. Featured topics include a comparison of fatty acid levels between global child populations, the relationships between growth and cognition and PUFAs and the possible mechanisms driving these relationships, and the potential importance of EFAD and HUFA scores as biomarkers of overall health and normal development.

Maternal depression, a hidden predictor for severe acute malnutrition in children aged 6-59 months: a case-control study at Omdurman Paediatrics Teaching Hospital, Sudan

Malnutrition remains one of the main disabling issues in child health, especially in developing countries. Maternal depression by its related disabilities has been linked with children undernutrition in the studies abroad. Unfortunately, not much is known regarding this issue in Sudan, so this study aims to examine the association between maternal depression and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in children under 5 years of age. A matched case-control study was conducted in Omdurman Paediatrics Teaching Hospital. Children admitted with SAM were assigned as cases, whereas controls were age- and sex-matched children with normal weight and height admitted in the same hospital. Mothers of both cases and controls were assessed for depression utilising the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 tool. The prevalence of depression among mothers of malnourished children was high (41.5%) compared to the mothers of controls (19.1%). In multivariate logistic regression analyses, the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of maternal depression were markedly higher in cases than in controls (AOR = 3.09, p = 0.002), as was the odds of below 1-year breastfeeding weaning (AOR = 18.60, p = 0.006) and mother illiteracy (AOR = 2.42 p = 0.031). Furthermore, the analysis found a significant negative association between the occurrence of malnutrition and exclusive breastfeeding (AOR = 0.43, p = 0.015). Maternal depression carries a significant burden in the mothers of children hospitalised with SAM. We strongly recommend routine screening and treatment for depression in childbearing age mothers in the available relative maternal and child health clinics.

Sustainable food security in India-Domestic production and macronutrient availability

India has been perceived as a development enigma: Recent rates of economic growth have not been matched by similar rates in health and nutritional improvements. To meet the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG2) of achieving zero hunger by 2030, India faces a substantial challenge in meeting basic nutritional needs in addition to addressing population, environmental and dietary pressures. Here we have mapped-for the first time-the Indian food system from crop production to household-level availability across three key macronutrients categories of 'calories', 'digestible protein' and 'fat'. To better understand the potential of reduced food chain losses and improved crop yields to close future food deficits, scenario analysis was conducted to 2030 and 2050. Under India's current self-sufficiency model, our analysis indicates severe shortfalls in availability of all macronutrients across a large proportion (>60%) of the Indian population. The extent of projected shortfalls continues to grow such that, even in ambitious waste reduction and yield scenarios, enhanced domestic production alone will be inadequate in closing the nutrition supply gap. We suggest that to meet SDG2 India will need to take a combined approach of optimising domestic production and increasing its participation in global trade.