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Diet and Kwashiorkor in the Democratic Republic of Congo

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Handbook of Famine, Starvation, and Nutrient Deprivation

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Abstract

Despite holding a wealth in natural resources, the population of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is among the poorest in the world. Food insecurity and malnutrition is widespread. While severe child malnutrition in the form of kwashiorkor has become rare in most other developing countries, thousands for children in the DRC are suffering from this disease. Since its early description kwashiorkor among children has been related the consumption of a monotonous diet low in protein. It has also been postulated that kwashiorkor is caused by an excess in free radicals and that protective pathways are compromised in kwashiorkor with these pathways requiring micronutrients in the form of antioxidants. Kwashiorkor typically occurs in areas with severe food insecurity, and in the DRC food insecurity is especially prevalent in the rural areas. The national prevalence of children with edema in the DRC has been reported to be as high as 4% with the highest proportion of children with edema living in the rural areas. The diet in most areas of the DRC is monotonous. Cassava is the major and it is severed with different side dishes including cassava leaves. Animal products are consumed occasionally and wild food constitutes a safety net during periods of shortage. The relation between diet and kwashiorkor in children in the DRC has been investigated in historical longitudinal study. The diet in the study area is low in diversity and the major staples include cassava and maize. Children who did not develop kwashiorkor had consumed food items that were rich in β-carotene while those who did develop kwashiorkor had not.

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Abbreviations

DHS:

Demographic and health survey

DRC:

Democratic republic of Congo

IPC:

Integrated food security phase classification

RUTF:

Ready-to-use therapeutic food

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, 5009, Bergen, Norway

    Hallgeir Kismul

  2. Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Congo

    Mala Ali Mapatano

  3. Programme National de Nutrition (PRONANUT), Kinshasa, Congo

    Jean Pierre Banea

Authors
  1. Hallgeir Kismul
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  2. Mala Ali Mapatano
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  3. Jean Pierre Banea
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hallgeir Kismul .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Diabetes & Nutritional Sci Div Sch, King's College London, London, United Kingdom

    Victor Preedy

  2. Clinical Biochemistry, University of Westminster, Westminster, United Kingdom

    Vinood B. Patel

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Kismul, H., Mapatano, M.A., Banea, J.P. (2017). Diet and Kwashiorkor in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In: Preedy, V., Patel, V. (eds) Handbook of Famine, Starvation, and Nutrient Deprivation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40007-5_38-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40007-5_38-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-40007-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-40007-5

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