A Microbiota-Directed Food Intervention for Undernourished Children

Study answer

What this study found

MDCF-2 produced faster growth than RUSF over 3 months: mean weekly weight-for-length z-score growth 0.021 vs 0.010 (difference 0.011; 95% CI 0.001 to 0.021). Weight-for-age z-score growth 0.017 vs 0.010 (difference 0.008; 95% CI 0.001 to 0.015). Length-for-age z-score change was similar (0.004 vs 0.005; difference −0.001). MUAC grew 0.031 cm/week vs 0.029 cm/week (difference 0.003). Over 4 months (3 months treatment + 1-month follow-up): WLZ difference 0.010; WAZ difference 0.008; LAZ difference ~0; MUAC difference 0.004 cm. MDCF-2 led to substantial shifts in the plasma proteome (714…

Study & population

Participants were 123 Bangladeshi children aged 12–18 months with moderate acute malnutrition, living in urban slums in Mirpur, Dhaka.

Intervention

MDCF-2: 50 g/day (two 25 g servings) for 3 months; taken twice daily; schedule: two feedings per day with the first month supervised in clinic, the second month one feeding at home, and the third month both feedings at home; energy density 204 kcal per 50 g.

Key limitation

Single-site urban Dhaka setting; moderate sample size; short-term follow-up (3 months treatment with 1-month posttreatment); cognitive outcomes not assessed; not all analyses corrected for multiple testing (though some used FDR/Q-values).

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Original abstract