2.1. Study Design
This study was designed as an individually randomized controlled trial. All children meeting the inclusion criteria were invited to participate in the intervention study. Each child was randomly allocated to receive 8 weeks of SAM treatment with one of five RUTF products. A peanut–milk paste RUTF (CON) was used as the control RUTF. Experimental RUTFs consisted of a soy–milk paste (SOY), a mungbean–milk paste (MUN1), a slightly thinner mungbean–milk paste (MUN2) or a peanut–milk paste-filled wafer roll (PEA). Details of the nutritional content of the products are provided in 