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SM Journal of Food and Nutritional Disorders

Effectiveness of Leucine Supplementation in the Management of Moderate Wasting in Children

[ ISSN : 2573-3664 ]

Abstract
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Received: 27-May-2018

Accepted: 09-Jul-2018

Published: 12-Jul-2018

Research Article | Volume 4 - Issue 1 | Article DOI :

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Jeff Wamiti¹*, Wambui Kogi-Makau¹, Sophia Ngala¹, and Francis Ephraim Onyango²

¹Department of Food Science, University of Nairobi, Kenya

²Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi, Kenya

Corresponding Author:

Jeff Wamiti, (MSc. Applied Human Nutrition) Tutorial Fellow, Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Technology, University of Nairobi, Kenya, Tel; +254724409655; Email: jwamiti72@gmail.com

Keywords

Leucine; wasting skeletal muscles; protein synthesis; Z-score

Abstract

Study background: Wasting in children is a serious form of malnutrition where the affected child has a low weight-for-height. While the severe form has published guidelines for its treatment, moderate wasting has no standardized treatment protocol and consequently, common feeds used to treat it have limited effectiveness. When leucine, an amino acid, is administered in a large dose in catabolic conditions it functions as a nutraceutical that accelerates muscle protein synthesis. The objective of this study was therefore to establish the effectiveness of leucine supplementation in treating moderate wasting in children.

Methods: A double blind placebo controlled trial that involved 144 children aged 6-24 months with moderate wasting was conducted at Mbagathi Hospital (Kenya) between 6th March-23rd June, 2017. Study children were randomly assigned to the treatment group (n = 72) or the control group (n = 72).Children in the treatment group and control group were administered with the leucine supplement and placebo respectively every day for 28 days. Baseline weight and height measurements were taken then measured weekly and at the end of the study. Differences between study groups were analyzed using analysis of variance and Chi-square. The significance level was set at <0.05.

Results: A significant difference (p = 0.00) was observed between the treatment group 67 (93.05 %) and control group 43 (40.28 %) in the proportion of children who recovered from moderate wasting. There was also a significant difference in the mean weight gained between the two study groups (p = 0.02).

Conclusion: Leucine supplementation in moderate wasting results in a significantly greater weight gain than any of the current treatment methods and is therefore effective in the treatment of moderate wasting.

Citation

Wamiti J, Kogi-Makau W, Ngala S and Onyango FE. Effectiveness of Leucine Supplementation in the Management of Moderate Wasting in Children. SM J Food Nutri Disord. 2018; 4(1): 1023.