Significance of Severe acute malnutrition
Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is a critical health condition primarily affecting children, characterized by severe weight deficiencies and nutritional deficits. SAM is often identified through specific anthropometric criteria, such as low weight-for-height Z-scores, mid-upper arm circumference measurements, or the presence of edema. This severe form of malnutrition significantly increases the risk of illness and mortality, necessitating immediate medical intervention and specialized care, often managed by healthcare professionals and mobile health teams. Community health workers play a crucial role in identifying and referring children for help.
Synonyms: Severe malnutrition, Acute malnutrition, Wasting, Undernutrition, Undernourishment, Emaciation, Stunting, Thinness
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The concept of Severe acute malnutrition in scientific sources
Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is a critical, life-threatening condition in children under five. Defined by very low weight-for-height or mid-upper arm circumference, it signifies severe undernutrition and is linked to increased infection risk. Immediate intervention and specialized care are crucial.
From: South African Family Practice
(1) A condition in the under-5 year age groups that have been increasing in the facility.[1] (2) A condition, managing which is a core competency of a family physician, and includes the ten steps outlined by the World Health Organization.[2] (3) This phrase describes a serious health problem in children, prompting the family physician to assist the community.[3] (4) This is a condition that the OSCE scenario focuses on, requiring the candidate to counsel a mother on the in-hospital treatment of this condition.[4] (5) This refers to a severe form of malnutrition in children, which puts them at a higher risk of illness and mortality, requiring immediate intervention.[5]
From: African Journal of Primary Health Care and Family Medicine
(1) This condition arises from a relatively short period of nutritional deficits and can be complicated by concurrent infective illnesses, particularly acute respiratory infection, diarrhoea, and gram-negative septicaemia, as well as chronic infections such as HIV.[6] (2) This specific condition accounted for a certain percentage of admissions, with a significant number of cases identified among the participants in the study.[7] (3) This is a condition that is treated by the mobile health and nutrition teams, as the study revealed that these teams helped in reaching children with this particular condition in a region with the highest prevalence of wastes.[8] (4) This signifies a critical health condition in children under 5 years, and the management strategies of it are examined through the perspective of healthcare workers.[9] (5) This is a severe form of malnutrition defined by specific anthropometric criteria, such as MUAC measurements or the presence of bilateral pedal pitting oedema, indicating a critical health condition.[10]
From: Journal of Public Health in Africa
(1) This is a serious form of malnutrition where a person experiences severe wasting and nutrient deficiencies, and it can weaken the immune system's response to infections.[11] (2) This serious health condition among children is a primary focus of research, particularly regarding how it affects children and what measures can be taken to address it effectively.[12]
From: South African Journal of HIV Medicine
(1) This is a serious form of malnutrition characterized by specific criteria such as low weight-for-length or height, bilateral pitting oedema, severe visible wasting, or a mid-upper arm circumference below a certain threshold, as described in the text.[13]
From: Asian Journal of Pharmaceutics
(1) This is a terrible problem in India, a condition where the body weight is low as a proportion to height.[14]
From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (MDPI)
(1) The study highlighted that a short distance to a healthcare facility has a significant role in the recovery of children from malnutrition, especially when severe acute malnutrition cases are referred.[15] (2) Severe acute malnutrition, also known as SAM, refers to the prevalence of severe wasting, indicated by a weight-for-height z-score less than -3, and it is a critical condition that requires immediate attention and intervention to prevent adverse health outcomes.[16] (3) It is a condition in young children that is treated with ready-to-use therapeutic food, which has improved survival rates by enabling treatment in community settings.[17]