NUTRITIONAL IMPACT OF LOCALLY FORMULATED FOOD ON MALNOURISHED CHILDREN IN KANO, NIGERIA

Abstract

Locally harvested crops contain essential nutrients that if they are utilized properly can provide
necessary requirements for body building. The cost, availability and affordability of current
standard Ready to use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) are the major obstacles to scaling up
community-based management of acute malnutrition, an important child survival strategy.
Identifying a cheaper alternative is a global public health priority. This research was carried
out to study the effect of consumption of food formulated from locally available stuff on serum
lipid profile, mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) and weight of malnourished children of
Hasiya Bayero pediatric Hospital Kano State, Nigeria. The food was formulated using
Sorghum (Sorghum arundinaceum), Date (Phoenix dactylifera), Groundnut (Arachis
hypogaea), Soybean (Glycine max) and Moringa leaf (Moringa oleifera). The formulated food
(300g) was given to males (10) and females (10) malnourished inpatient children (aged
between 6 to 59 months) per day and consumed for a period of 2 weeks. Serum total cholesterol
(T. CHOL), triacylglycerol (TRIG), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) were determined before (baseline) and 2 weeks after feeding with the study
food. Mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) and weight of the volunteers were also measured.
Results of the study showed an increase in weight, MUAC and mean serum lipid profile
parameters after consumption of the study food was recorded. Mean serum T. CHOL, TRIG,
HDL, and LDL levels were significantly higher (p<0.05) in female malnourished children than
their males’ counterparts before and after consumption of the study food. Thus, the study food
had a positive effect on serum lipid status, weight and mid upper arm circumference (MUAC)
of malnourished children.