Effect of Some Traditional Foods on Malnutrition Treatment of Children (1-5 years) in Alfashir West Sudan

Abstract

This is a case study at Zamzam refugee campus, Elfashir district, Sudan, targeting malnourished children(1-5 years). Meals in porridge form were prepared from traditional foods,70g/L sesame + 250ml cow milk, and 70g/L millet + 250ml cow milk, supplemented with 5g of sugar and 5g of salt. Proximate chemical composition % of the sesame meal was found to be for protein, fat, ash, moisture, crude fiber, carbohydrate (14.30,19.00,7.40, 26.60,18.10,14.70), respectively. On the other hand. proximate chemical composition % of the millet meal was found to be (7.70,15.00,4.10,35.10,15.70,22.70), respectively. Both meals were found rich in essential amino acids . The amino acid, methioneine important to children in sesame and millet meals was found to be 158 and 151 mg/g, respectively. The 24 protein energy malnourished admitted children were treated with prepared meals for two months and checked before and after the processed meal is given. The activity was found to increase after the meal was given to the children (MUAC) which was found to be under 11cm in the malnourished children and it was 12.5 cm after 3 weeks. The studied malnourished children responded positively to the local meals developed from sesame and millet which gave a good results in treating the diseased children. So traditional foods from the local materials are recommended is solving problems of malnutrition of 1-5 children.