Ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) containing low or no dairy compared to standard RUTF for children with severe acute malnutrition
Citation: Potani I, Spiegel-Feld C, Brixi G, et al. Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) Containing Low or No Dairy Compared to Standard RUTF for Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Advances in Nutrition. 2021;12(5):1930-43.
Language: Abstract and full text available in EN.
Free to view: Yes.
What is this? Standard ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) that contains at least 50% protein from dairy sources is a treatment of choice for children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Alternative sources of protein or less than 50% of protein from dairy may render these formulations cheaper but it is important to know if they are as effective.
In this systematic review, the authors searched for studies comparing standard RUTF and RUTF using alternative formulations in infants and children aged ≥6 months with uncomplicated SAM. They did not restrict their searches by date or language of publication and did the search on 27 January 2021. They included 5 individually randomized trials and 1 cluster randomized trial.
What was found: RUTF containing less than 50% protein from dairy or alternative sources of protein did not show different mortality rates, times to recovery or cases of non-response compared to standard RUTF in children with uncomplicated SAM.
Children provided with standard RUTF showed a higher fat-free mass index compared to those provided with lower-dairy RUTF.
Alternative versions of RUTF enhanced with iron and phytic acid performed better than standard RUTF at counteracting anemia and iron deficiency in children.
Children had less weight gain with non-dairy or lessdairy RUTF.
Children showed lower recovery with non-dairy or less dairy RUTF.
Children had lower weight-for-age z scores with non-dairy or less dairy RUTF.
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