Lipid-based nutrient supplements may reduce mortality among children 6-24 months old

Objectives:
Undernutrition is associated with an elevated risk of mortality among children in low- and middle-income countries. Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) have been evaluated as a method to prevent undernutrition and improve infant development, but the effects on mortality are unknown. Therefore, this review article has been conducted.

Do lipid-based nutrient supplements reduce risk of undernutrition among children 6-24 months old?

Study design:
This review article included 18 RCTs conducted in 11 countries that enrolled 41,280 children and reported 586 deaths.

Results and conclusions:
The investigators found in 13 RCTs that lipid-based nutrient supplements significantly reduced risk of all-cause mortality with 27% [RR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.59 to 0.89, I2 = 23.2%] among children 6-24 months old.
Estimates were similar when trials with maternal lipid-based nutrient supplements intervention arms were added or when alternative formulations of lipid-based nutrient supplements were excluded.

The investigators found the results appeared stronger in trials in which lipid-based nutrient supplements were compared with passive control arms.

The investigators found excluding these contrasts and only comparing multicomponent arms with lipid-based nutrient supplements groups and comparison groups that contained all the same components without lipid-based nutrient supplements attenuated the effect estimate [RR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.61 to 1.10].

The investigators concluded lipid-based nutrient supplements provided for the prevention of undernutrition may reduce risk of all-cause mortality among children 6-24 months old, but more trials with appropriate comparison groups allowing isolation of the effect of lipid-based nutrient supplements alone are needed.
 
Original title:
Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements and All-Cause Mortality in Children 6-24 Months of Age: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials by Stewart CP, Wessells KR, […], Dewey KG.

Link:
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/111/1/207/5613093

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