Need and Significance of an Ayurvedic Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) in Children of Under 5 years Age : A Review

Ayurvedic RUTF for Malnutrition

Abstract

Severe acute malnutrition is defined by a very low weight for height (below -3z scores of the median WHO growth standards), by visible severe wasting, or by the presence of nutritional edema. As per NFHS 4 report, 7.5% of the under 5 children are severely wasted, 38.4 % are stunted and 35.7% are underweight.

The WHO protocol for management of SAM includes in - patient treatment and community interventions which are considered to be effective and have greater significance in reducing the mortality of affected group. These programs include usage of ready-to-use-therapeutic-foods (RUTF) customized and tailor-made to suit the needs of deficient energy and protein. All patients who do not have complications and hence do not need in-patient management are treated with RUTFs. An ideal RUTF should replenish the energy and protein stores, should be composed of locally available and cheaper ingredients, suitable to blend with the normal household food pattern and palatable. Conventional RUTFs contains milk powder, sugar, peanut butter, corn soya blend etc. Due to high chances of instability of milk products, search for alternative, stable, cost effective and regional products is going on. As far as India is concerned, the malnutrition map is highly confined to rural and suburban areas which relies upon “desi dawayi”/indigenous medicines. The apprehensive approach to modern methods make them vulnerable to preventable ill fate of malnutrition. In this background, the scope of an Ayurvedic RUTF cannot be undermined, which can serve the purpose of supporting their nutritional needs without disturbing the local culinary tradition and mindset. A properly studied, safely manufactured, palatable Ayurvedic RUTF is hence need of the hour. Ayurveda offers a range of prinana modakas to tackle the issue. The mode of action is based on enhancement of general appetite and increasing the food uptake and simultaneous supplementation of energy. This review aims at exploring the possibilities in developing a stable Ayurvedic RUTF.