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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2018 Jul 16;10(7):909.
doi: 10.3390/nu10070909.

Effectiveness of a Locally Produced, Fish-Based Food Product on Weight Gain among Cambodian Children in the Treatment of Acute Malnutrition: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Sanne Sigh  1   2 , Nanna Roos  3 , Chhoun Chamnan  4 , Arnaud Laillou  5 , Sophanneary Prak  6 , Frank T Wieringa  7
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Effectiveness of a Locally Produced, Fish-Based Food Product on Weight Gain among Cambodian Children in the Treatment of Acute Malnutrition: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Sanne Sigh et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Cambodia continues to have a high prevalence of acute malnutrition. Low acceptability has been found for standard ready-to-use-therapeutic-food (RUTF) products. Therefore, NumTrey, a locally-produced fish-based RUTF, was developed. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of NumTrey compared to an imported milk-based RUTF for weight gain among children aged 6⁻59 months in the home-treatment for acute malnutrition. Effectiveness was tested in a single-blinded randomized controlled trial with weight gain as the primary outcome. Anthropometry was assessed at baseline and bi-weekly follow-ups until endline at Week 8. In total, 121 patients were randomized into BP-100TM (n = 61) or NumTrey (n = 60). There was no statistical difference in mean weight gain between the groups (1.06 g/kg/day; 95% CI (0.72, 1.41) and 1.08 g/kg/day; 95% CI (0.75, 1.41) for BP-100™ and NumTrey, respectively). In addition, no statistically significant differences in secondary outcomes were found. Although the ability to draw conclusions was limited by lower weight gain than the desired 4 g/kg/day in both groups, no superiority was found for eitherRUTF. A locally produced RUTF is highly relevant to improve nutrition interventions in Cambodia. A locally produced fish-based RUTF is a relevant alternative to imported milk-based RUTF for the treatment of SAM in Cambodia.

Keywords: Cambodia; effectiveness; fish; ready-to-use therapeutic foods; severe acute malnutrition; weight gain.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The opinions and statements in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or opinions of the organizations to which they belong. The funding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of patient’s enrolment into the trial.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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