Table 1

Characteristics of included studies

SN	Author	Country	Citation (doi)	Study design	Age range of study population	Source of data (primary or secondary)*	Anthropometric measures used	Macronutrient intervention
1	Bahwere et al38	DRC/SSA	10.1097/01.inf.0000135663.17018.51	Prospective cohort	<24/>=24 months	Primary	WHZ	Yes; high energy food, enriched milk or F100
2	Ashraf et al46	Bangladesh/Asia	10.1097/01.inf.0000135663.17018.51	Randomised control trial	2–59 months	Primary	WHZ, WAZ	Enriched milk
3	Ngari et al5	Kenya/SSA	https://doi-org.ezproxy.u-pec.fr/10.1111/ppe.12348	Observational cohort	1–59 months	Secondary	MUAC, WHZ, WAZ, HAZ	None
4	Agweyu et al39	Kenya/SSA	https://doi-org.ezproxy.u-pec.fr/10.1016/S2214-109X(17)30448-5	Retrospective cohort	2–59 months	Secondary	MUAC, WAZ, WHZ	None
5	Awasthi et al40	India/Asia	https://doi-org.ezproxy.u-pec.fr/10.3389/fped.2021.790109	Prospective observational cohort	2–59 months	Primary	WAZ	None
6	Bekele et al43	Ethiopia/SSA	ISSN 0971–9032 www.currentpediatrics.com	Cross-sectional	2–59 months	Primary	MUAC	None
7	Bokadeet et al26	India/Asia	https://pmc-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.ezproxy.u-pec.fr/articles/PMC4697219/	Longitudinal cohort	1–59 months	Primary	WAZ	None
8	Negash et al28	Ethiopia/SSA	https://doi-org.ezproxy.u-pec.fr/10.1093/ofid/ofz029	Observational cohort	0–15 years	Primary	WAZ	None
9	Lazzerini et al25	Malawi/SSA	https://doi-org.ezproxy.u-pec.fr/10.1016/S2214-109X(15)00215-6	Retrospective Observational cohort	Under 5 years (we focus on 2–59 months)	Secondary	WAZ	None
10	Nantanda et al44	Uganda/SSA	https://doi-org.ezproxy.u-pec.fr/10.1179/146532808X375404	Cross-sectional	2–59 months	Primary	WHZ†	None
11	Macpherson et al41	Kenya/SSA	https://doi-org.ezproxy.u-pec.fr/10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001715	Retrospective Observational Cohort	5–14 years	Secondary	MUAC, WHZ	None
12	Eckerle et al27	Malawi/SSA	https://doi-org.ezproxy.u-pec.fr/10.1136%2Fbmjpo-2021-001330	Observational Cohort	1–59 months	Primary	MUAC	None
13	Hooli et al16	Malawi/SSA	https://doi-org.ezproxy.u-pec.fr/10.1371/journal.pone.0168126	Retrospective observational cohort	0–59 months (focus on the 2–59 months)	Secondary	WAZ, MUAC†	None
14	Kiguli et al45	Uganda, Kenya/SSA	https://doi-org.ezproxy.u-pec.fr/10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102640	Randomised control trial	6 months–12 years	Primary	MUAC, WAZ, WHZ, triceps skinfold thickness	RUTF
15	McCallum et al42	Bangladesh/Asia	https://doi-org.ezproxy.u-pec.fr/10.1016/S2213-2600(23)00098-X	Prospective observational cohort	3–11 months	Primary	WAZ, MUAC†	None

*Primary data were data collected by direct participant measurements, while secondary data were data extracted from participant/patient files or hospital records as reported by the individual studies.
†Author provided additional information.
DRC, Democratic Republic of Congo; HAZ, height-for-age z-score; MUAC, mid-upper arm circumference; RUTF, ready-to-use therapeutic food; SSA, sub-Saharan Africa; WAZ, weight-for-age z-score; WHZ, weight-for-height z-score.