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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Severe childhood malnutrition
Nature Reviews Disease Primers, Volume 3, No. 1, Article 17067, Year 2017
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Description
The main forms of childhood malnutrition occur predominantly in children <5 years of age living in low-income and middle-income countries and include stunting, wasting and kwashiorkor, of which severe wasting and kwashiorkor are commonly referred to as severe acute malnutrition. Here, we use the term ‘severe malnutrition’ to describe these conditions to better reflect the contributions of chronic poverty, poor living conditions with pervasive deficits in sanitation and hygiene, a high prevalence of infectious diseases and environmental insults, food insecurity, poor maternal and fetal nutritional status and suboptimal nutritional intake in infancy and early childhood. Children with severe malnutrition have an increased risk of serious illness and death, primarily from acute infectious diseases. International growth standards are used for the diagnosis of severe malnutrition and provide therapeutic end points. The early detection of severe wasting and kwashiorkor and outpatient therapy for these conditions using ready-to-use therapeutic foods form the cornerstone of modern therapy, and only a small percentage of children require inpatient care. However, the normalization of physiological and metabolic functions in children with malnutrition is challenging, and children remain at high risk of relapse and death. Further research is urgently needed to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of severe malnutrition, especially the mechanisms causing kwashiorkor, and to develop new interventions for prevention and treatment. © 2017 Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature. All rights reserved.
Authors & Co-Authors
Bhutta, Zulfiqar A.
Canada, Toronto
Hospital for Sick Children University of Toronto
Berkley, James Alexander
Kenya, Nairobi
Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories Nairobi
United Kingdom, Oxford
University of Oxford
Bandsma, Robert H.J.
Canada, Toronto
Hospital for Sick Children University of Toronto
Malawi, Blantyre
Kamuzu University of Health Sciences
Kerac, Marko
United Kingdom, London
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Trehan, Indi
Laos, Luang Prabang
Lao Friends Hospital for Children
United States, St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Briend, André
Denmark, Copenhagen
Københavns Universitet
Statistics
Citations: 274
Authors: 6
Affiliations: 8
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1038/NRDP.2017.67
ISSN:
2056676X
Research Areas
Environmental
Food Security
Maternal And Child Health
Noncommunicable Diseases
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study