Impact of a Nutritional Intervention Based on Amaranth Flour Consumption to Recovery Undernourished Children

Amaranth flour (AF) can be used as an alternative for nutritional recovery, however, there is not enough evidence on the efficacy of these types of programs. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of an Integral Nutritional Recovery Program (INRP) with AF as complementary feeding on anthropometry in children with grade 1 malnutrition. A quantitative before-after study with intervention and follow up was developed. Dyads of caregiver and grade one malnourished children were evaluated (Control group n=37 and experimental group n=46). A supplement based on amaranth flour were given to Control group (CG) and Experimental Group (EG), only EG received the intervention IPNR. Variables evaluated were weight/height (W/H), muscle mass (MM), fat mass (FM), arm circumference (AC), head circumference (HC), triceps skinfold (TRSF), subscapular skinfold (SSF), body mass index (BMI), subscapular/triceps index (SS/TR), and centripetal index (CI). Data were analyzed using ANOVA, orthogonal arrangements, and paired-T test, 95% CI, significance p=0.05. Initial anthropometric evaluation showed that the conformation of the CG and EG was homogeneous (p = 0.05). After three months of follow up height and HC showed no differences (p = 0.05). In contrast, W/H, AC, SSF, TRSF, BMI, and FM increased in different magnitudes in function of time for both groups. Paired analysis indicated higher increases in EG than CG. Subscapular/triceps index decreased, and MM showed a tendency to increase (p = 0.1). No significant differences were observed between males and females, height and HC (p = 0.05). Integral Nutritional Recovery Program was effective in improving nutritional status of experimental group and continuing for three months. A follow up is recommended after six months to verify nutritional recovery.