Abstract:

Aim: Malnutrition is a serious condition that causes many clinical consequences and causes diseases seen in adulthood. An early prevention of malnutrition is crucial and is widely applied via enteral or parenteral formula. Migration results in very low living standards that affect children more than adults and are considered a risk factor for malnutrition. This study separately investigates the effects of a hypercaloric enteral feed on malnourished immigrant and Turkish children in terms of body mass index (BMI), weight, and height scores alongside micronutrient deficiencies. Methods: This case-control study was conducted in an outpatient clinic with patients who were diagnosed with malnutrition and aged 1-18 years, between January 1, 2019 and January 31, 2020. A total of 157 patients consisting of 111 Turkish and 47 immigrant children with primary malnutrition (<-2 SD) were included in the study. Anthropometric data recorded at baseline, 3rd and 6th months were retrospectively analyzed. All patient records were obtained from the Pediatric Outpatient Clinic of Esenler Children Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. Results: Both patient groups significantly benefited from the nutritional intervention in terms of weight for age or BMI, weight and height z-scores (p<0.001). Despite that improvement, baseline weight and BMI scores were lower in immigrant patients. The number of patients with iron deficiency anemia, B12 deficiency, and 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 was also diminished through enteral intervention (p<0.001). Conclusion: The hypercaloric enteral intervention was well tolerated by both populations and has caused significant anthropometrical improvements during 6 months of duration alongside with the reduction in the number of patients with micronutrient deficiency.

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