High-energy-density gruels in the treatment of hospitalized children suffering from mainly protein malnutrition in Zaire

The effects of the energy density of gruels on energy and protein intake and the nutrition status of 148 hospitalized malnourished children age 3 to 24 months were determined under standardized conditions. Severely malnourished children consumed significantly more high- or low-energy-density gruels than children less affected. The feeding of high-energy-density (1.0 kcal/ml) versus low-energy-density gruels (0.5 kcal/ml) allows for a significant increase in mean energy and protein intakes from gruels : 29.4 plus or minus 2.1 (SE) versus 18.9 plus or minus 1.4 kcal/kg/day (p < 0.001), 1.10 plus or minus 0.07 versus 0.75 plus or minus 0.05 g/kg/day (p < 0.001). The mean serum albumin concentration tended to increase more for children consuming high-energy-density gruels. These data emphasize the interest of high-energy-density gruels in the rehabilitation of severely malnourished children. (Résumé d'auteur)