Low linoleic acid foods with added DHA given to Malawian children with severe acute malnutrition improve cognition: a randomized, triple-blinded, controlled clinical trial

Background There is concern that the PUFA composition of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is suboptimal for neurocognitive recovery. Objectives We tested the hypothesis that RUTF made with reduced amounts of linoleic acid, achieved using high-oleic (HO) peanuts without added DHA (HO-RUTF) or with added DHA (DHA-HO-RUTF), improves cognition when compared with standard RUTF (S-RUTF). Methods A triple-blind, randomized, controlled clinical feeding trial was conducted among children with uncomplicated SAM in Malawi with 3 types of RUTF: DHA-HO-RUTF, HO-RUTF, and S-RUTF. The primary outcomes, measured in a subset of subjects, were the Malawi Developmental Assessment Tool (MDAT) global z-score and a modified Willatts problem-solving assessment (PSA) intention score for 3 standardized problems, measured 6 mo and immediately after completing RUTF therapy, respectively. MDAT domain z-scores, plasma fatty acid content, anthropometry, and eye tracking were secondary outcomes. Comparisons were made between the novel PUFA RUTFs and S-RUTF. Results Among the 2565 SAM children enrolled, mean global MDAT z-scores were -0.69 +/- 1.19 and -0.88 +/- 1.27 for children receiving DHA-HO-RUTF and S-RUTF, respectively (difference 0.19, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.38). Children receiving DHA-HO-RUTF had higher gross motor and social domain z-scores than those receiving S-RUTF. The PSA problem 3 scores did not differ by dietary group (OR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.67, 1.26 for DHA-HO-RUTF). After 4 wk of treatment, plasma phospholipid EPA and alpha-linolenic acid were greater in children consuming DHA-HO-RUTF or HO-RUTF when compared with S-RUTF (for all 4 comparisons P values < 0.001), but only plasma DHA was greater in DHA-HO-RUTF than S-RUTF (P < 0.001). Conclusions Treatment of uncomplicated SAM with DHA-HO-RUTF resulted in an improved MDAT score, conferring a cognitive benefit 6 mo after completing diet therapy. This treatment should be explored in operational settings. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03094247.

Automated summary

This study investigated the impact of different compositions of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) on the cognitive ability of children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM). The results showed that treatment with RUTF containing added DHA (DHA-HO-RUTF) improved the cognitive ability of children even after 6 months of completing the treatment. This treatment should be further explored in clinical settings.