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. 2022 Nov 25;41(1):53.
doi: 10.1186/s41043-022-00321-x.

Effectiveness of home-based "egg-suji" diet in management of severe acute malnutrition of Rohingya refugee children

S K Roy  1 , Khurshid Jahan  2 , Soofia Khatoon  2 , Nurul Alam  3 , Saria Tasnim  2 , Shahana Parveen  4 , Ambrina Ferdaus  2 , Khadijatul Cubra  2
Affiliations

Effectiveness of home-based "egg-suji" diet in management of severe acute malnutrition of Rohingya refugee children

S K Roy et al. J Health Popul Nutr. .

Abstract

Background: Prevalence of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) among Rohingya children aged 6-59 months who took shelter in refugee camp in Cox's Bazar District, Bangladesh, was found to be 7.5%.

Objective: To measure the effectiveness of homemade diet in the management of severe acute malnutrition of Rohingya refugee children.

Methods: In total, 645 SAM children (MUAC < 11.5 cm) aged 6-59 months were selected and fed the homemade diet for 3 months by their caregivers and followed up for next 2 months. Nutrition counseling, demonstration of food preparation and the ingredients of food (rice powder, egg, sugar and oil) were provided to the families for 3 months to cook "egg-suji" diet to feed the children.

Results: The study children were assessed for nutritional status. After intervention, energy intake from diet increased from 455.29 ± 120.9 kcal/day to 609.61 ± 29.5 kcal/day (P = 0.001) in 3 months. Frequency of daily food intake improved from 4.89 ± 1.02 to 5.94 ± 0.26 (P = 0.001). The body weight of children increased from 6.3 ± 1.04 kg to 9.93 ± 1.35 kg (P = 0.001), height increased from 67.93 ± 6.18 cm to 73.86 ± 0.35 (P = 0.001) cm, and MUAC improved from 11.14 ± 1.35 cm to 12.89 ± 0.37 cm (P = 0.001). HAZ improved from - 3.64 ± 1.35 to - 2.82 ± 1.40 (P = 0.001), WHZ improved from - 2.45 ± 1.23 to 1.03 ± 1.17 (P = 0.001), WAZ improved from - 3.8 ± 0.61 to - 0.69 ± 0.78, and MUACZ improved from - 3.32 ± 0.49 to 1.8 ± 0.54 (P = 0.001) from the beginning to the end of observation. Morbidity was found in 5.12% children in the first month which reduced to 0.15% at the end of follow-up.

Conclusions: Nutritional counseling and supply of food ingredients at refugee camps resulted in complete recovery from severe malnutrition for all children which was sustainable.

Keywords: Children; Egg-suji; Homemade diet; Nutrition counseling; Nutritional status; Severe acute malnutrition (SAM).

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declare(s) that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Consort diagram for trial
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Impact of nutritional intervention on energy intake and frequency of egg-suji (n = 645)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Comparison on weight for height Z score with WHO standard by Gaussian curve (I–III). (a) Baseline (− 2.45 ± 1.23). (b) After 3 months of intervention (0.71 ± 1.16). (c) After 2 months of follow-up (1.03 ± 1.17)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Rohingya refugees site profile: Bangladesh-research terms of reference. UNHCR; 2017.
    1. BBC. Myanmar Rohingya: What you need to know about the crisis. BBC News: 24th Apr 2018.
    1. Inter Sector Coordination Group. Cox’s Bazar Influx, Bangladesh. ISCG situation report: Nov 5, 2017.
    1. World Health Organization . Severe acute malnutrition. Geneva: WHO; 2005.
    1. Michael JD, Roy SK, Upul S, Archana P, Kalpana T, Kingsley EA, Seema M. Across-country comparisons of selected infant and young child feeding indicators and associated factors in four South Asian countries for the South Asia infant feeding research network (SAIFRN) Food Nutr Bul. 2010;31(2):366–375. doi: 10.1177/156482651003100224. - DOI - PubMed

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