Peanut Butter Against Malnutrition

How can peanut butter address the problem of starvation and malnutrition? Dr. Mark J. Manary (photo) use a locally produced enriched peanut-butter mixture, called Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), to combat malnutrition in Malawi, in sub-Saharan Africa. RUTF, which contains peanuts, powdered milk, oil, sugar, and added vitamins and minerals, is given to mothers to feed to their children at home.

The results: Compared to standard therapy of feeding milk-based porridge, higher recovery rates were obtained using RUTF.

Of the 2,131 severely malnourished children treated with the RUTF at home, 89 percent recovered. Of the 806 moderately malnourished children treated with the RUTF, 85 percent recovered.

Read more from the Washington University in St. Louis or from the Project Peanut Butter.